Fate: Ascension
by BigDez
Summary: He thought it was just a game, for a simple wish. Oh how wrong he was, now he's in the deep end with nowhere to go but down. Shirou/Multi, no new characters. Video game aspects
1. Introduction Part 1

**I do not own any of the Fate series, the following is a non-profit fan-based parody. The Fate series is the property of Konoki NAsu, UFOTABLE, Type Moon, and Aniplex. Please support the official release.**

 **I know it came out of order but I felt it needed to be done. So here is the *NEW* official beginning to my story Fate: Ascension.**

 **Introduction**

 _What happened?_

I could feel the sweltering heat on my face, his breathing was labored.

 _Am I…...in hell?_

Now I realized, my chest was crushed underneath the rubble, and I was far too weak to unearth myself. Darkness took me again, and when I woke again, I heard a man's voice off in the distance. I remember the look on his face, the tears in his eyes over finding someone alive in the rubble. A man filled with joy from the bottom of his heart. He looked so happy to me…...it was as though it had been him, and not me, who had been saved.

"You're alive, you're alive, oh thank god you're alive."

Even as I lingered within the reach of death, I was jealous of that man, so happy to have just found one person, and with that himself.

 _Oh, what a life you must have lived._

I was eternally grateful to him, but I never expected to see him again, and especially not the first person I would see when I regained consciousness in a hospital bed, excluding the nurse.

He was tentative approaching the boy, he didn't want to seem overeager, "Hi, you must be Shirou, I'm not sure if you remember or not."

Shirou couldn't say anything on account of the smoke inhalation damage but he did manage a nod to signify that he did in fact remember the older man.

"Great. That's great, now I hate to drop this on you, but I'd like to ask your preference: going to an orphanage or coming to live with me."

Shirou couldn't remember anything from what happened before the fire, his earliest memories were those moments he spent in the inferno, the smells, the sounds, the heat threatening to melt the charr him to the bone. He pushed the recollections away and gratefully accepted his request with the biggest smile that he could muster.

Kiritsugu felt his heart almost leap from his chest, "I'm glad to hear that, now we should get you dressed, the doctor's said you were free to leave as long as we observed some safety precautions. You should get acclimated to your new home as soon as possible. Also, I guess it's important for you to know right away." He looked to his left and his right before leaning in to the boy and whispering, "I'm a Mage."

 **Fate: Ascension**

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you do for work?" Kiritsugu looked down at his now adopted son, he had been watching the construction of the estate he was having built, he had decided to renovate the place he spent the last peaceful moments he had had with Irisviel, the sentimental value was too much to pass up. Shirou had been helping the construction workers by giving them the tools they requested. Such a great kid.

Kiritsugu chuckled, "Well I'm retired now, but before I helped people who had problems, I guess you could say I was a professional problem solver."

"Ohhh," Shirou looked at him with newfound knowledge, he then began to bounce around his dad, "problem solvers must make a lot of money, I wanna be a problem solver too!"

They stayed there for a little while longer, watching what would eventually be there home being built. Weeks went by, the workers were efficient and fast, benefits of the extra money Kiritsugu slid there way, might as well spend that Magus Killer money while he was living. Soon the house was deemed livable and the two moved in, but to Shirou's delight, he spent most of the first day running around the entire estate. Living with Kiritsugu was an enjoyable experience, while he wasn't Shirou's real dad, he did his best to provide the best parental knowledge he could.

"I want to know magic!" Shirou was bouncing in place now, he could barely contain the excitement welled up inside him.

"No." Kiritsugu was definite in his statement, the boy was making it extremely difficult for Kiritsugu to not regret revealing his magical powers to him. Shirou had been asking the question since he'd regained his voice, and Kiritsugu learned quickly that the child had near limitless persistence, using any excuse he could to bring up the subject. Shirou scraped his knee, he'd say he should learn healing magic. If Shirou couldn't reach something, which was often, he'd comment how knowing how to fly would be helpful. It wasn't until Shirou started to use more logical reasoning into his attempts that he finally broke the old man.

"The life of a mage is dangerous, there's more than a few bad men who might come sniffing around if they hear that I'm out and about. If they found you, and they realized that you knew my magic, there's no telling what could happen to you."

"Then just teach me ONE thing, one little bit of magic. Something easy so the bad guy won't come after me."

Kiritsugu sighed, he guessed that there wouldn't be any problem with learning the fundamentals.

"Fine, but- hey, stop, I'm not done talking yet." Kiritsugu laughed, Shirou had jumped on him the moment he said yes and was now jumping up and down in his father's arms in jubilation. Shirou's celebration died down with Kiritsugu's continued insistence that he listen. "Every magus is different, so you may find that your strengths are not aligned with mine, making me an unsuitable teacher."

Shirou didn't care, magic was magic, and he was about to become a mage. Kiritsugu held a battery of tests over the next few days assessing what the young boy would be capable of learning, eventually he concluded that Reinforcement magic would be suitable, interesting, considering the sheer difficulty of the subject that even he didn't have a full grasp of it, he was curious how his son would fare. It took a couple months to teach the nature of magic, how it was applied, where it came from, all the necessary curriculum that was the bedrock of every mage.

Shirou and Kiritsugu were inside the storehouse, this was designated as Shirou's place of study. "Ok Shirou, so the trick with Reinforcing magic is the amount of mana you use and the rate you keep that mana flowing into that object. Take this stick for example," Kiritsugu picked up a branch that was laying in front of him, he closed his eyes as the hand holding the stick began to glow, the bright lines that formed on his hand then spread to the stick, although the light was noticeably fainter when crossing to the wood. "Success requires a good understanding of how the inside of the object you're using is formed, mine isn't all that great which is why the light is so weak. However, this branch is still twice as strong as a normal branch. Now you have 27 circuits, not a bad number at all, but the quality of them is considerably poor. Not to worry though, in time I may have something to remedy that problem."

Shirou's eyes were transfixed on the glowing stick, "So cool."

"Here, I'll let you give it a go, feel your magical energy flow through you and into the branch. I wish there was more I could do to help you out bud, but that's the limit of what I know." Kiritsugu chuckled, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"It's ok, I'll have this done by dinner, just you wait my stick will be strong enough to stop a car!" Shirou replied.

"Well, I look forward to seeing that. I'll leave you to it, being alone usually helps me when I train, me watching you could throw you off." Kiritsugu made for the door.

"Ooooh you're probably right, get out before you mess me up dad!"

Kiritsugu left him to his training, using the time he had to get dinner prepared, but after dinner was cooked and set on the dinner table, there was still no sign that Shirou had left the shed. He went out to the shed to see that Shirou hadn't left the spot he was in, although there was a noticeably higher amount of branches laying about the floor.

"Shirou, it's time for dinner."

The redheaded child didn't even turn to face him, "Yeah ok, I'll be in in five minutes, just 5 more minutes."

Kiritsugu sighed, "Ok, 5 minutes, then I want to you inside, it's going to get cold."

The former mage went back inside, sitting down for the aforementioned 5 minutes, and yet there was still no Shirou, Kiritsugu wasn't angry, he understood the initial excitement of learning magic, who wouldn't want to spend all their time learning it? So the next time he went out to the storehouse, he brought with him a hot bowl of food and drink, along with a heavy blanket, telling Shirou to not stay out to late, but he knew that his warning fell on deaf ears. So after another few hours, Kiritsugu went back out to the shed a final time, this time to retrieve the now sleeping child, curled up in the blanket he had given him and a branch still clutched in Shirou's small hand.

"Well at least you didn't fall asleep on an empty stomach," Kiritsugu said as he picked up the empty bowl and cup, "what am I going to do with you, you can't live out here."

So Shirou continued his training in Reinforcement magic over the next couple of months, Kiritsugu was surprised at how quickly the boy was picking up the sparse instruction that had been given to him. Shirou was already on a good track, being able to make a stick strong enough to hold up when Kiritsugu brought it down over his knee, if only for a single blow. There was another problem though, Shirou was started to get hungry again, not for food mind you but for instruction, the child had a taste of magic and was now coming back for more.

"C'mon old man, you said yourself that I was 'impressive', you don't know anything else that you could teach me?" The boy spoke between mouthfuls of food, the two were now sitting at the dinner table eating breakfast.

Kiritsugu's eye twitch at the comment about his age, but didn't voice his displeasure. "I don't know if I have anything else that is suitable for someone your age."

Shirou peered into his bowl of rice, "It doesn't have anything to do with my dreams does it?"

"I won't lie to you," Kiritsugu had stopped eating and was now paying full attention, "it does give me pause. I don't want you to learn something that could make you a danger to yourself or others." Shirou had made a number of late-night visits to his dad claiming to have nightmares, but what he described to Kiritsugu, and the frequency of only that dream, it made him worry. PTSD was common for someone who went through what that boy did, but how vividly Shirou described his dreams of the fire, it almost brought him back as well, the description was so good, too good. "You know, I have bad dreams too. Dreams of bad things that have happened in my life and sometimes they keep me up at night, just like yours."

"Really?" Shirou looked up at his dad, a look of surprise and comfort on his face. He was happy that someone knew what he was going through.

"Yeah, eventually all those bad things changed me, I'm not sure if it was a good change or bad though, feels like another lifetime ago. I don't want the same thing to happen to you Shirou, I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

Shirou stood up and raced into his dad's arms, embracing him in a hug, "Then help me. You know better than anyone else," Kiritsugu could feel his shirt getting wet, and hear the sniffling coming from beneath him, "what it's like to wake up in a place like that. I- I'm scared dad, it's always the same and I'm always alone. I know we can't stop the nightmares but, at least teach me, so I can know that I'm strong enough to make it through there on my own."

The father and son locked eyes, tears were streaming down Shirou's face. It broke Kiritsugu's heart, he relented.

"Ok, I'll teach you something that should boost your confidence, but you have to let me know how these dreams are progressing, the doctors said that night terrors are 'normal', but I don't want to to miss something if it's affecting you any worse."

Shirou sniffled, "OK." They stayed there for awhile longer, soaking in the silence, they felt that here with each other, they could keep their demons at bay.

It was a warm day today, and the sun was shining, yes, Kiritsugu thought it was a perfect day for sparring. When he revealed to Shirou that he would be learning hand-to-hand training he had initially had it planned for himself to train him, but for some reason he was feeling especially weak lately, so much so that he had to observe the session from the comfort of a chair he brought outside. He decided that he would leave the matter of training Shirou to a young girl he met at a local kendo tournament, Taiga Fujimura she said her name was. She proved to be knowledgeable in multiple facets of combat, as well as being a generally nice girl to be around, so he had no qualms about her being Shirou's tutor. It was only icing that she was more than happy to babysit Shirou, they hit it off instantly, when he was off looking for Illya. Shirou proved to be no match for the woman who had earned the moniker the "Tiger of Fuyuki", to say she consistently shredded the poor boy wouldn't have done her justice, but if Shirou was going to learn, he wanted it to be from the best.

"There was a rock in my shoe." Shirou said from his position on the ground.

Taiga stood over him, hands on her hips, "Yeah and my kendo stick in your face, which one do you think knocked you out."

"Ms. Fujimura, you're mean." Shirou pouted, standing up and dusting himself off before getting back into a defensive position.

"No," she rushed in, Shirou jabbed his kendo stick out which she slipped to his right before sliding her right leg under his for the trip, sending him crashing back down to the ground, "you're too hesitant. You must think quick and react even quicker. Also, you're too soft, you're mind and body should be as solid as this stick, otherwise you better get used to the ground, you'll be spending a lot of time there."

Shirou looked over to his dad, who did nothing more than shrug his shoulders. His attention was brought back to Taiga as she directed his gaze back to her with her kendo stick.

"So, you ready to go again?"

Shirou glared at her, which then turned into a grin, he might get beat, but he'd never give her the satisfaction of him quitting. "Of course."

Later on in the month after numerous more ass kickings, Shirou was instructed by Kiritsugu to meet him in the shed. When he entered, Kiritsugu was sitting on the floor and in front of him lay a gun.

"Hello Shirou." Kiritsugu smiled at the boy, trying to disarm the situation from seeming too weird.

"Hey dad," he approached tentatively, "if this is about the dishes, I did them before I came out here."

"No Shirou, come and sit down" The boy followed his instruction and sat on the other side of him. "I said you would only be learning hand-to-hand combat and while you have been progressing, there may be times where a kendo stick won't be enough." He picked up the gun, "This is a pistol, and when you press this button, a clip will fall out the bottom. In this clip is bullets, now I'll show you where I keep the bullets and the guns, what's most important is that you only use it when your life is in danger. Pulling the trigger here will fire a bullet from the clip, it's also important you know that I keep two separate bullets, normal bullets and origin bullets. I'll tell you where each are kept, remember to only use origin rounds if you know that a mage is attacking you."

"But..why would a mage attack me? I'm a mage myself."

"I'm not….the most popular mage, let's leave it at that."

Life went by for the father and son, with Taiga coming around often enough for them to consider her part of the family. Kiritsugu by this time had stopped looking for Illya, the Einzberns made it nigh impossible to locate the castle, and his health hadn't gotten any better, on the contrary it appeared to worsen by the day. By this time, Kiritsugu figured that his encounter with Angra Mainyu had left a nasty curse on him that was directly related to his condition, and so he began to make arrangements as he felt his time drawing near. He felt like he hadn't slept in weeks, even if it had only been 3 days of sleepless nights before he swallowed his reality enough to inform Taiga that she would be Shirou's guardian if anything were to ever happen to him. He wasn't sure what he would say to Shirou, or if he would say anything, the thought chilled him to the bone and made his stomach feel 50 pounds heavier. So he didn't contemplate that, instead he worked diligently to prepare what would be the final piece of Shirou's training, something he had been preparing his son for since he agreed to teach him magecraft, the Emiya Crest. He had already been preparing Shirou since he was adopted, giving medicines with special herbs and his own crushed bone under the guise of vitamins, he had to get Shirou's body accustomed to what was going to come next. The transfer of Magic Crests' had a high rejection rate even among those who are related, but since the Mage Association stripped most of the Crest away with his father's Sealing Designation, the fragment that he had left should be less harsh in the inheritance, or at least he hoped. Kiritsugu used the guise of healing magic as the reasoning for the appearing marks on the child's back.

"Is it a tattoo dad?" Shirou would joke, only this time when his son asked, Kiritsugu decide to tell the truth.

He smiled at his son, "Not exactly, this Crest will give you access to the spells that I've come across and used in my life, along with a few from my family line, but in comparison to a normal Magi's Crest, yours is still in its infancy, meaning you're going to have to add more to it to make it as good as everyone else's. I'm hoping this will help with your dormant circuits, hopefully some of mine will help bring them along."

Shirou nodded his head, confusion written on his face. "Ok, and what happened to 'healing magic'?"

"I'm afraid that was a lie, one I was only able to keep up because of the size of the Crest. You see most Crest's take years to be transferred, otherwise someone might well…...explode. Your body somehow accepted the initial portion of the crest, a sliver of a fragment. That was all I needed to go underway with the rest, as you wished I am making you into a mage, and every mage needs a Crest. It's not done yet, you only have the Time Control magic that I know at the moment but in time, you'll now everything I know."

"Wow…. Thank you," Shirou bowed to show his respect, "I promise you won't regret this, I'll put it to good use."

Kiritsugu placed a hand on Shirou's shoulder, "You've already made me more proud than I could ever be."

It would take some time for Shirou's own circuits to root into the crest, but the kid was talented, there was no doubt about it, Kiritsugu had no doubt the kid would go on to do great things. Nonetheless, the entire ordeal left Kiritsugu exhausted, he on multiple occasions came close to cutting the training altogether, what would he have done if Shirou had died? The curse of Angra Mainyu had been killing him since the day he destroyed the Grail, and he was now weak and decrepit, and his circuits had almost entirely failed him. This child was all he had, and he had thrown him into the world that had taken everything he loved from him.

"Dad are you ok? You look really sick, you haven't looked good for a couple months, we should take you back to the doctor, let them look at you again." Worry was written all over Shirou's face.

"Oh I've already been to the doctor," Kiritsugu lied, "they gave me some medicine that should have me back to 100% before you know it." He smiled, it was fake of course, but it was all he could muster for the boy he loved so much. "Shirou, I'm going to go rest for awhile, why don't you take it easy for today, rest is just as important as training."

A groan escaped his son's lips, "But that's soo borrriiinnnngggg."

"I won't hear another word of it, I'm ordering you to take it easy. That also means no contact with Taiga."

It was like the guy was reading his mind, Shirou thought. There was nothing to be done about it though, what dad said was law, and Shirou didn't dare risk losing the opportunity to learn more from delinquency. So Shirou decided he'd spend the day in town, watching the locals and enjoying the weather. As he walked along the streets, he came upon a vendor that caught his eye. An elderly man stood among numerous hanging vegetation, and Shirou could smell a natural freshness emanating from the cart. Shirou approached the cart, he read the sign that said "All Natural Herbs, Add Years Into Your Life!"

"Excuse me sir." Shirou said.

"Why hello there young man, what can I do for you today?" The vendor's gray eyes were friendly and his smile was warm.

"So these plants, they heal the sick?" The boy asked.

The man laughed, "Well, it won't cure anything, but given the right conditions and applied correctly, they can do wonders for your health."

 _Conditions…...Applications….._ The wheels in Shirou's mind began to turn rapidly and in an instant he had cracked an idea that might help his dad.

"I'll take some aloe vera, yarrow, St. John's Wort, and houseleek please."

The vendor bagged up the listed items, "My that's a big order, kids your age are more interested in buying candy than greens, but I promise you'll grow up bigger and stronger than them." He finished his sentence as Shirou handed him the correct change for the items. Shirou thanked the vendor for his service before making his way back to the estate, bag in hand and mind full of ideas.

When he returned to the estate he made a beeline to the storehouse, there he would perform his experiments. Shirou figured that if he could strengthen the physical properties of an object, there might be a way of doing the same with the healing components in these plants.

He picked up a piece of yarrow, "Trace on." A mantra he came up with during his Reinforcement training, Shirou found that doing this better allowed him to actualize the properties of whatever he was strengthening, but he never expected so much knowledge to be ingrained in innate objects. He could make out every minute detail, the shape and substance, even the entire history of an object. Now the question was, how does any of that help him here?

 _If I can judge the concept of something's creation and hypothesize it's basic structure to recreate the materials needed to imitate the process of growth... all in my mind...is it law or based on my own mind?_ He didn't want to try something that could put to much strain on him, Kiritsugu said it was dangerous to wander into different subjects of magecraft blind. Shirou had been reading up on material transmutation to help with his Reinforcements though, so what he was doing wasn't completely out of his wheelhouse, there had to be a work around.

Shirou could only imagine up to the point of an object's creation, after that he began to feel a severe pain somewhere in his head but not like a headache, it was...strange. But if everything needed was inside his own mind, could he not duplicate the composition material of a substance with more immediate healing properties? Kiritsugu had provided Shirou with a book on healing magecraft as recompense, though pouring over the text proved to be a monotonous task. The aria needed to fully recreate healing magic was way beyond him, but healing magecraft did seem to work in detoxification. So if he used it on this yarrow, even the minuscule amount that he was capable of, like he was cleaning any impurities out of it, then maybe it would be enough when integrated with other plants under the same conditions.

After two hours of intense work, with another three spent gasping for air on the floor from overexertion and frustration, all that was left was to test it, Shirou still had a few bruises from his last spar with Taiga so now was the best time. So he slid the lid off the bowl he had acquired from the kitchen bit and took a drink from the bowl. The sensation was like chewing wet grass, he would have to process the ingredients better and get a better flavor for it because grass wasn't a flavor people liked, but all in all it was a success, the pain from his bruises had subsided slightly.

The rest of the day went by rather uneventfully, eventually Shirou did take Kiritsugu's advice and rest. As Shirou lay in the bed, his mind began to drift out of consciousness until eventually he was asleep.

 **He was sweating, he could feel heat. Shirou kept his eyes closed, he knew it was just a dream, but he didn't want to see, not after he had had such a great day. A scream rose to his lips, he could feel the fire at his legs, peeling away the top layer of his skin, the layer underneath splits open, and fat begins to leak out.**

Shirou awoke in a flop sweat, he could hear his heart beating throughout his entire body. He lay there for a few more minutes, making sure he was alright and more calm before he made his way to the kitchen to get a glass of water. Along the way, he saw his dad sitting on the floor overlooking the courtyard, his attention on the night sky.

"Dad?"

Kiritsugu looked over to his son, who stood in his pajamas. "Bad dream?"

"Yeah." Shirou and Kiritsugu have had many nights like this, and the question almost seemed ridiculous at that point.

"Oh Shirou, why don't you come enjoy the night sky with your old man then, it always takes my mind off my troubles." And so the two sat there on the wooden floor overlooking the courtyard, looking up into the star laden sky.

"Shirou," Shirou looked over to his dad, who still looked up at the moon overhead, "you are…...the best thing that happened to my life, even though we aren't flesh and blood, you've accepted me as your father, and have given me the opportunity to experience the happiness the comes with such a privilege."

"You saved me," Shirou responded, "you cared for me, trained me, fed me, and put a roof over my head, your compassion is all I know. There's no need to give me acknowledgement, but thank you. Hey, hey old man!"

"Huh?" Kiritsugu snapped out of his reverie.

"If you're going to fall asleep, it's smarter to do it in bed."

"Oh...right. Im fine." He could still feel Shirou's eyes on him and decided to continue speaking. "When I was little, I wanted to be a hero."

"But you helped all kinds of people in your work, besides it's not like you couldn't be one now."

"Unfortunately, I gave up on that dream a long time ago, in a past life, a couple past lives ago. It seems the wish has an expiration date, when I grew up it became harder and harder to call myself one, I wish I had realized that sooner."

"I see, well you can't dwell on what can't be."

"Yeah, i guess you're right." Kiritsugu sighed.

"Besides, don't you remember what all this training is for, why Taiga is kicking my ass on a daily basis."

"Language young man, maybe you're spending too much time around Taiga." he scolded.

"Right, sorry," Shirou chuckled. "But seriously, you're an adult now, so you can't do it anymore, and I've been trained by the best. I can do it, I will do it, all this that you've taught me, if I didn't use what I know to help other people, that would just be a waste of my talent, besides there are always people who need saving. Do you have any regrets about not being a hero?"

"I never got a chance to save many people, but…..I had, I have a daughter, Illya. She was taken from me, for a promise I broke trying to again be the hero, but in the end, she was gone, I could never find her, and I still didn't manage to save anybody. Actually… I did save one." He smiled down at Shirou, who returned in with glee.

 _I hated the weakness he showed in that moment. I looked up to the man, who turned out to be just a broken man full of regrets._

"I'll carry on your dream, I'll be the hero that you couldn't be, that you wanted to be, for the both of us. I'll make our dreams a reality."

 _I had to, for the idea of the man that I thought I knew. For the real Kiritsugu Emiya, a man who couldn't save anybody, no matter how hard he tried._

"All right, you'll do that, and I can rest easy." Kiritsugu looked up at the moon once more, now nothing more than a speckle of light in the encroaching darkness, "I can rest easy now." He would just rest his eyes for a second, Shirou would wake him up if he dozed off too long.

" **Kerry, what kind of adult do you want to be when you grow up?"**

 **A young Kiritsugu looked up at his friend Shirley, "I want to be a hero."**


	2. Introduction Part 2

Kiritsugu died on that night, in that courtyard, and as much love as Shirou had for the man, he didn't visit his grave behind Ryuudou Temple often. His death frustrated Shirou, he cried and shouted until his throat was raw that night as the man who had come to be his dad lay lifeless on the ground, a look of peace on his face. He fell into depression for awhile as he wallowed in his loneliness, sure he had Taiga, his newly christened guardian, but she didn't understand him the way Kiritsugu did, nor could he talk to her about his dreams. He felt jealousy again for  
Kiritsugu, he got to escape his demons by simply checking out, while Shirou was left to fend them off by himself. The burning flesh, the screams stretched out among a mile of torched corpses, the intermittent flashbacks that occurred even in his waking moments. Yes, he was alone, just him and the fire.

Shirou's contempt for his father didn't dissuade him from his promise though, he knew he had a knack for helping people, and besides it helped fill the void that was left by Kiritsugu. When Shirou finally enrolled in school, he was older than his classmates and a little behind the curb on account of his mage training. He didn't really enjoy the company of others for awhile, being noticeably prickly and prone to mood swings, which perplexed the multitude of individuals who he helped diligently without ever asking for payment. It wasn't until middle school that he met the first person who he would consider a friend, Shirou was doing his normal menial tasks when a blue haired boy approached him. The boy ridiculed him for doing such things but never left, instead hanging around with him until Shirou was finished.

"You may be an idiot, but you sure do good work, at least!" The boy laughed. "My name is Shinji Matou."

"I still don't care, Shinji Matou. Who has blue hair? You're either a part time clown or a fashionista, I have no use for either, please leave me alone." Shirou retorted.

"I like you Emiya."

It was like that that Shirou finally started coming back out of the house, Shinji would insist that Shirou come over until he'd give in. Shinji introduced him to archery, which Shirou took with much vigor, he was actually pretty good at it, so much so that he would join the archery club with Shinji. That all changed when Shirou suffered an injury while training, Shinji insisted that Shirou come over so he could treat him, and as much as Shirou wanted to just drink his always improving healing conconctions, it was more believable if he let the injury heal naturally, so he agreed. At this time, Shirou became properly introduced to Shinji's little sister Sakura, he had noticed her while he practiced and at archery club, but it wasn't until she offered to help him during his injury that they became close. She was more than happy to help him around the house in chores that he couldn't do, she reminded him a lot of himself, and also nothing at all. She was quiet and gentle, and while Shirou had opened himself up considerably since Kiritsugu passed, he was still more than a little grouchy. The more time he spent with her however, the softer his heart became. His friendship with Sakura came at the expense of his with her brother though, he seemed to disapprove of it and their friendship began to estrange until he eventually drove Shirou from the archery club. Shirou didn't blame him, Shinji didn't have a lot of friends, if any, and he could relate all too well.

 **~Time Skip~**

 **Fire raged around him, the sound was deafening, eventually he crumbled to ash, no more recognizable than the scorched earth.**

Shirou lay asleep in his workshop, his head underneath his potion table. He had really taken into his art in the past couple of years and while he was still only just at an intermediate level, he had built himself a respectable set up. He managed to pass it off to those who walked in on him as "pharmaceuticals" that he was experimenting with, which after a long time of lying became his scapegoat to one day mass produce it for the general population, his own little miracle cure, he was sure Kiritsugu would be proud. He also kept a few potions that would replenish his mana, good for whenever he wanted to push himself in his Reinforcement training. The Crest afforded to him by Kiritsugu proved to be a boon in his development, giving him a boost in mana along with a few Time Control abilities that were a great novelty if someone ever picked a fight with him.

-going to catch a cold out here."

He knew that voice, it was Sakura. Shirou fully awoke to find his purple-haired friend standing over him, a warm smile on her face.

"I'm sorry but it's time to get up. I hope you slept well last night."

He raised his head from the cold ground, shaking the images of his nightmare away, "Shit I slept in again. Oh, excuse my language Sakura but I've still got to do the morning chores."

Sakura waved a hand to dismiss him, "Don't you worry about the chores, this place is a mess and you know what Miss Fujimura will say if she sees it. So how about you clean here, get some food in you and don't worry too much, okay?"

"What would I do without you Sakura?"

She was on her way out the door before turning back, "At the moment, die of pneumonia or starve." Like that, she was gone and he was alone again.

 _Huh, didn't Sakura was into dark humour, learn something new about that girl everyday,_ he thought.

When he finally got done with his normal morning routine and got dressed he joined Sakura in the dining area, where Taiga sat seemingly engrossed in her newspaper. Sakura came from the kitchen with the day's breakfast, which Shirou readily scarfed down. It was only after he had his fourth mouthful that he felt the growing heat in the back of his throat, that heat began to scorch the entirety of his mouth, he could just barely hear Taiga laughing over the sound of his own coughing.

"Bwahaahhaha, consider that payback for yesterday."

He began to protest, but he knew she wouldn't be listening as she scarfed down her own food. "I swear I'll get you back, 25 and you act like my little sister."

"Well this sister has to get to class, there are a stack of paper to grade with my name on them, plotting my revenge is time consuming work." She was out the door and down the street before they could say goodbye, there was no evidence of her being there except dirty dishes and the trail of dust left behind from her motor scooter.

"I swear that woman is a human tornado," Shirou said to Sakura as he watched the TV, apparently a rash of hypoxia broke out in an office building which they were chalking up to a gas leak. "Another gas leak…...it's getting dangerous out there.

Good thing you're always on top of the gas valve."

Sakura walked up beside him, smile confidently, something he wished she did more often, "You're and Miss Fujimura's safety is of my top priority, your safety is never in doubt while I'm around."

Eventually, they too left the house to go to school, they walked together until it was time for them to go their separate ways, they stopped in front of the gates to the school. Shirou turned to his friend, "Kick some ass for me at practice ok?"

"How about you come and see just how much ass I'll kick, I'd even have some extra motivation?" Sakura looked up at him expectantly.

"I'm sorry….but I have a to go to the student council office." He replied sheepishly.

Sakura looked crestfallen, "Oh, ok, I understand, forget I even said anything. I should have something really good planned for dinner, ok? I should get going….." She was heading away from him before he could even think of a proper apology.

Shirou spent his time in the student council office chatting with his friend Issei about the goings on about the school, the stresses of his friend's presidency, and of course, the daily equipment maintenance that he offered to whatever was broken that day. Today, it was a heater, an easy enough fix once he got Issei to leave so that he could use his "tracing" magic to assess the damage. On his way out to show the newly repaired heater, he noticed that Issei was talking to Rin Tohsaka.

 _Huh, way out of your league my man, but I respect it. You've got bigger balls than I do._

When he went to catch a peek of her, he felt a pain in his eyes, and for a second, all he could see was static, like a channel with no signal. When he regained focus, she was already down the hall.

"Didn't think you came to school this early Tohsaka." It was just something that popped into his head, but it seemed to gain a sliver of her attention, but not enough for a response as she never broke stride, only looking back at him for a moment.

"Hello, Emiya." Shirou turned to see that Shinji was now standing next to him.

"How's it going Shinji, if you're here to ask for archery lessons, you couldn't afford me, then there's the matter of your lack of talent."

"Pssh, like I would need anything from you." Shinji strode by him, Shirou could almost feel the cockiness oozing off of him.

Issei walked until he stood where Shinji once was, "The guy has some nerve, considering how he got you kicked out of the archery club, that guy is a born again prolapsed anus."

"He…...has his reasons for the way he is, besides, you get used it, unfortunately." The school day, and the next few days, went by just about the same as that day. He went to school, fixed things, got under Shinji's skin, and receive his daily praise for keeping the various club's equipment in pristine condition. It wasn't until the fourth day that things really got interesting, to start he discovered a bruise on his hand, which happened to give him that same static feeling when he looked at it, the same as when he was around Tohsaka, so he figured to just let it be and try not to notice it too much. It was easier said than done, but he managed to go the entire school day without even peeking at it. He kept himself busy, filling his entire day fixing things until the sun was set and the moon was high in the sky. It was then that he decided to make his way home, while he was walking down the road to his house, Shirou could make out the sound of giggling ahead. At the top of the street stood a little girl, she couldn't have been older than 16, it made him wonder why she was out by herself.

As he came across her he decided to greet her, in case she needed help, "Hi, nice night tonight isn't it?"

She only smiled as they walked by each other, but she did speak after she was out of his line of sight, "Wonderful night, shame you won't see many more."

He turned to face her, "Excuse me?" But she was gone, as if she was never there to begin with.

 _Ghost? Or am I just crazy?_ He shrugged his shoulders, more to make it seem like he was letting his guard down, but he was definitely on high alert. _Could be a mge, a young one, but one nonetheless._ The static came back this time, greater than before but only for a split second, Shirou sagely decided to head home before he encountered more weirdness.

The next morning, a new issue rose to his attention, the bruise on Sakura's arm, which he was now on his way up the stairs in the school to follow up on.

"Shinji!" He ran into his 'friend' along with two of his, what Shirou could only guess were, fellow archery club members.

"Shirou!" He greeted back.

"You wouldn't happen to have, oh I don't know….hit Sakura recently have you?"

Shinji chuckled, "Oh you know it."

"What the hell is wrong with you!" Shirou exploded.

"For a second, I thought we were having a moment, no I didn't 'hit' Sakura." Shinji replied, looking slightly disappointed. "Oh, by the way, the dojo is looking a bit dusty, would you be a friend and tidy it up for me? Please, I knew you would, you're always so good to me, I don't deserve a friend like you." He said the last sentence as he walked away, with one of the girls apologizing for his behavior, he's glad somebody did.

 _Wait, the hell kind of distinction did Shinji just make? Another thing I'll have to follow up on._

It took quite a while to clean the dojo and all its equipment, but in the end the nostalgia and the self satisfaction of a clean dojo left him content. He was in the midst of remembering the fond times he spent here when he heard a noise coming from outside, it almost sounded like metal clanging against itself. He could sparks of blue and flashes of red from the window amongst a cloud of kicked up dust that covered the area. When he finally made it outside he could make out two men dressed in ridiculous costumes, if they weren't moving at inhuman speed and colliding with enough force that he could feel the force of their impact from his position yards away, he would've cracked a joke for sure, but these guys were no joke. The blue haired man dressed in blue spandex was wielding a spear that glowed with a red aura, and the man opposing him-

The static was back, the instant he looked at him, and it was in force, it was all he could see or hear, and his head felt like it was split wide open. The pain was so fierce that he doubled over and vomited right there on the concrete, making more than enough noise to draw attention.

"Who's there!" The blue spearman yelled in his direction.

"Shit!" He was off and running, Shirou felt his legs exploding, but he kept at it, up the stair and through the hallway, he wasn't sure where he was going, he just had to run. He could feel something behind him, close behind him, and he ducked on instinct, unfortunately that sent him off balance and tumbling to the floor. Shirou didn't waste any time getting back to his feet and turning to keep running, until he felt a sharp pain in his chest, there was blood spurting from where his heart was.

He realized too late that he had ran right into the red spear of his attacker, as he fell to the floor, choking on his own blood, he couldn't make out what he was saying all he could comprehend was the darkness surrounding him.

" _This hour, this day!?"_ Shirou could just barely make out a voice.

" _There still might be a way to save him."_

 **Child, there is much for you to do. In your current state though, you will be no match for the trials and tribulations that you will face ahead. To better acclimate yourself to your new 'situation' your progression will be tracked and organized through an XP or Experience System. Discovering new things or completing certain tasks will award you XP, which can be used to unlock abilities and perks to help ensure your survival and enhance your capabilities. After you've acquired a certain amount of XP. you will be awarded skill points, these are your currency to gaining locked abilities. Some abilities will remain locked until a certain criteria has been met. You will need these abilities if expect to have any chance of survival. Do not fail Shirou Emiya, there is much work for you to do.**

 **You have been revived!**

Shirou jolted awake, he was still in the hallway, but with a now beating heart.

"What….happened?"

 **You have encountered a Servant! You have gained XP**

 _Uhhhhh, alive but crazy?_ Shirou looked up at the floating yellow text, he poked at it but his hand went right through it, eventually it faded away.

 **The area is unsafe and not recommended for your skill level, it is wise to find safer locale to properly tend to your wounds**

Shirou wasn't going to question the logic of the magic words, but that didn't quell the million other questions he had.

 _My situation? Makes enough sense I guess, considering I've just been brought back from the dead, doesn't explain why I need to fight people like that. I was happy just making potions for sick people._ He spotted something on the ground, a heart-shaped pendant. _Either from my attacker, or from my savior, either way, it's mine now. I'll consider it a parting gift._


	3. Introduction Part 3

Eventually Shirou made it back home, at which point he collapsed on the ground, thoroughly exhausted. The only thing he wanted right now was a warm bed, but when the house alarms went off, he knew he wouldn't get his wish. The man in blue appeared out of thin air above him, driving down to plunge his spear into Shirou once more, but this time, Shirou was fast enough to dodge him. He also noticed the text now above his head, **Lancer Servant, Level ?**

 _So I can assess the power of an opponent to a certain extent, interesting._ Shirou reached for the only thing he could find within arms reach, the newspaper.

"Trace on." His mana flowed through him and into the the rolled up parchment.

"Listen dude, I'm a mage, and whatever you're beef is with that other guy is none of my business. I'm alive and willing to let bygones be bygones."

The bluenette laughed quietly to himself, "Indeed, allow me to rectify that. It would besmirch my name anyway if I allowed you to draw breathe." With that he thrusted his spear at Shirou, nicking his arm but missing anything vital. Lancer's expression became one of surprise, "Oh, what a surprise, that's an interesting little trick kid."

"Do you really want to take the chance of dying from a kid with a newspaper, that would besmirch your name even worse right?" Shirou growled.

"Yeah...about that." Lancer then proceeded to push the pace, Shirou could tell he was only toying with him, every thrust nicking a different portion of his body with speed that made it seem like the cuts were instantly appearing from nowhere. Shirou knew he had to retreat and let the next strike land at the top of his shoulder, shoving him backwards and out of the dining room and into the courtyard. He looked up and to the top right of his vision he could see three bars of differing colors: red, blue, and green, and they were all flashing with red outlines.

 **You have sustained heavy damage, your HP is dangerously low**

 **You have nearly exhausted your mana supply**

 **You have used up most of your Stamina, and will find it harder to do even basic tasks as it gets lower.**

His entire body screamed in pain, he had only one chance, if he got to his shed and could reach his potions, he'd have enough healing and mana replenishment to hopefully win in a war of attrition. He forced his body to move and sprinted into the shed, he could hear his attacker calling out behind him.

"Come on kid, man up already!"

Shirou got the same feeling from before and this time responded, he unfolded the newspaper and reinforced it again, the spear impacted with it, sending bits of paper flying around the room, and gently floating there way to the ground. Lancer looked around the room, eventually laying his eyes on a table that emitted a green mist, and the shelf above it that contained almost a dozen vials with differing colored solutions in it.

"You're definitely interesting, alchemy, that neat trick with the paper, I bet you were supposed to be the Seventh. Ah well, doesn't matter much now." Lancer positioned himself to deal the final blow.

"No. I can't die here, I've died twice already and both times I was saved." Shirou stood up to face Lancer.

The spearman raised an eyebrow, "Did you now? You must not be too liked then."

"I made a promise to a dying man to protect those who can't protect themselves, to offer aid to any in need" Shirou's hand began to glow, but he didn't notice, nor did he notice his now fully replenished bars or the glowing symbols to his left on the floor, all he felt was rage. "Even if I die, that purpose will live on through those I've helped, and as long as I draw breathe I will continue to aid and protect anybody in need, I swear it on my life!"

Shirou didn't fully realize what happened next, one second he was in Lancer's sight and the next, some lady comes out of his floor to protect him, and what a lady she was, she was...beautiful. Her attire was interesting, it reminded of a long flowing blue dress, if that dress had a baby with a full suit of armor.

"I ask of you" her voice caught him off guard, she turned to look at him, "are you my Master?"

 **Saber Servant, Level 78**

Shirou looked dumbfounded, "You're...Master?" Her eyes reminded him of jewels, emeralds, yet they held the resolve of a warrior, and her commandeering voice didn't match the youth in her features, although her facial features themselves hinted at a 'take-no-shit' attitude.

"I am your Saber Servant, I have come in response to your summons. My sword is now at your command, your fate intertwined with my own."

Shirou stood up, "In that case, kick that blue bombers ass." He pointed at Lancer who stood infuriated just outside the shed. Saber didn't waste anymore time, jumping straight into the fight. They moved at speeds too fast for Shirou to fully track, but he see that they fought as typical warriors only at a faster pace. Lancer sent continuous thrust at Saber, hoping to get through her guard, while Saber deflected the numerous strikes at her body, hoping to find an opening to close the distance. Lancer overextended his reach on one of his attacks, allowing Saber to get enough of his weapon to push it up and expose his body to an attack, but Lancer was fast enough to retreat before her sword could reach her. He didn't waste any time pushing back but the result was the exact same only this time Saber didn't give him a chance to recollect himself, instead applying a smothering pressure that kept him backpedalling while blocking her continued forward attack. She was shorter than him, giving her a natural advantage in close quarters, she bent lower baiting him into blocking low before spinning to come back overhead, Lancer was skilled enough to see through it, but he knew any lesser warrior would've died in that instant. There weapons clashed and they struggled to get the upper hand, Lancer was shocked to find that he couldn't even get her to budge, in fact, she was bending his spear with her…..

"What the hell is that?" He asked angrily, "Are you so much of a coward that you would keep your weapon hidden? Have you no pride?"

"What's wrong Lancer, is my bow giving you trouble? Maybe I'm just a better spearman that you, or maybe it's an oversized piece of paper." Shirou could be heard laughing in the background.

Lancer replied, "Whatever, I heard you address yourself as Saber, so I'll assume it's a sword. So, with that being said, any chance you'd be interested in a draw?"

Saber seemed to ponder for a moment, "Not really, I'd prefer you die here, Master?"

"Kill him and whoever made his outfit." Shirou shouted.

Lancer sighed, "Very well then." He readied into a stance, then his spear began to glow with a red aura that eventually engulfed the Servant entirely. He then charged at Saber, stopping a few feet by digging his foot deep into the ground, when he stopped he thrusted his spear at her and yelled, "Gae Bolg!" Shirou had no better way to describe the attack than as red lightning, it ,moved as such and with the same speed and ferocity. It collided with Saber's sword, no, something happened, almost like deja vu but instead of the attack landing on Saber's sword it struck through her chest, it then lifted her off the ground, thrashing her around in the air before throwing his Servant to the ground.

Lancer looked extremely pissed, "Ok, that attack is a guaranteed blow to the heart and yet here you stand, very much alive. Either I'm screwed or you share your Master's knack for miraculous luck."

Saber smirked, "I guess I'm just lucky, although I wouldn't expect a Lancer to know anything about that. I have figured out your identity though, Cu'Chulainn, Ireland's Child of Light and faithful dog."

Cu'Chulainn clapped sarcastically, "Bravo, and with that revelation, I must take my leave."

"What!?" Shirou and Saber yelled in unison.

The Lancer shrugged, "My master is a coward, the fact that someone can survive the very concept of deciding fate has him more than a little worried. You're more than free to follow, but you won't be making it home, I can guarantee that."

Shirou responded first, "Just get out of here, you're only following orders, round two can be rescheduled."

Lancer nodded at him, "Good man, I look forward to our rematch Saber." With that he was off, up onto the the rooftops and into the night.

Shirou approached Saber in time to see her wounds heal almost instantly, "So you're name is Saber huh? On a scale of one to ten, I'd give you a hundred on the badass scale."

"I'm not familiar with that scale, but I am with a compliment." She smiled, "Thank you."

He couldn't hide his blush, "M-my name is Shirou, Shirou Emiya."

"Emiya?"

"Yeah, so could you explain how you appeared out of my shed? Not that I don't appreciate the save, I am forever in your debt."

"I see, so you are not a typical Master," Saber said, "but you are my Master all the same."

Shirou waved his hands and shook his head, "You've gotta stop calling me- wait what the hell is this?" He was referring to the symbols that were now engraved into the back of his hand.

"Those are Command Seals, used to give me order that I cannot disobey. If you wouldn't mind, could you heal my wounds?"

"I haven't really gotten around to practicing that, I might stop your heart as likely as heal a scratch. I do have this though." He tossed her one of his healing potions which she took, inspecting it cautiously. "It's a healing elixir made from yours truly, the hardest part wasn't even in making it effective in healing, it was getting the cherry flavor in without ruining it." He joked as Saber chugged the small bottle until it was empty, at which point she tossed it back.

"Thank you Master, I'm now in perfect condition to face the next threat."

"Threat?" Saber was already on the other side of the building by the time he finished his question. He chased her outside, she was in the midst of fighting the other Servant he saw at the school, but what caught his attention more, was Rin Tohsaka standing behind him. He didn't consider anything else, he ran up behind Saber, screaming for her to stop the entire time before he jumped on her back to get her attention.

"What is the meaning of this? I am not one for horseplay!" Saber scolded him.

He replied from his Servant's back, "You gotta stop! At least for a second, I know this girl, let's at least see if she's cool, if she's not then you can kill them, deal?"

Saber looked visibly agitated but relented nonetheless, to which Shirou responded by getting off her back, figuratively and physically. Shirou invited Rin and her Servant into his house, which Rin accepted but her Servant, Archer, was adamant on not entering.

Rin sipped from the cup of tea that Shirou prepared, "Ok first things first, the Command Seals you have, you only get the three. These are especially useful if Saber is a long distance away, as it allows her to transport directly to your location. If you use too many, Saber will disappear."

"We are heroes from history," Saber explained, "summoned to fight in a war for the Holy Grail and have our wish granted."

"So you're a hero? That explains why you're a badass." Shirou said.

"It is a tradition that has occured in Fuyuki for 200 years among mages of the highest caliber…..and sometimes people like you." Rin said.

Saber added, "Harsh, but not untrue, but you did survive against Lancer long enough to summon me, so maybe there is hope for you."

"I DOUBT IT!" A voice could be heard from the roof, Shirou assumed it must've been Archer.

"Archer you could always just come inside." Rin said, she didn't get a reply only a roar of laughter from her Servant. "Anyways, the mages in these wars are no joke, imagine Merlin with an insatiable bloodlust.

"Scary thought." Saber replied.

"For a wish? I mean… I'm still alive, maybe I was meant to win? The thought of killing other people isn't exactly my cup of tea though." Shirou said.

Rin looked at him incredulously, "Are you serious?! Just give me Saber, go on your way, and live to see another day, I don't see what's so difficult with the concept. You know what, if I can't convince you, maybe Kirei can, he's the priest who oversees the entire War."

Besides the lateness of the night, Shirou saw no problem with going out with Rin, maybe he could learn something about her while they went to see this priest.

They eventually reached the church that Rin was leading them to. Saber and Archer insisted on staying outside, which Shirou chalked up to strategic positioning, keeping a lookout over the church while they talked to this 'Kirei'. They entered the church, which was slightly illuminated by candle light. The priest stepped from the shadows to address them, "You never accepted my repeated invitations, and now here you are with an odd guest. I take it this means that he is the seventh, Rin? I am Kirei Kotomine."

Shirou walked forward, "I'm Shirou Emiya, new master, trying to figure out if the constant threats on my life are worth….a grail?"

"Emiya?" Kotomine questioned, before laughing to himself softly, which sent all kinds of alarms to Shirou. "Well Shirou Emiya, your status as Master cannot be taken away nor handed off, you have been chosen by the Grail to carry this burden. The Grail has a habit of sometimes pulling in stragglers to fill in empty spots, last war it was a serial killer."

"Well that's pleasant, and this Grail isn't the one we read about in fairy tales is it?" Shirou asked.

"No, although, look at the Servants that the Grail has produced, the amount of power they possess. A Holy Grail capable of that will surely grant its holder limitless power."

"What if I chose to destroy the world, how do you know I'm not a sociopath?" Shirou asked.

"It is not up to us to question who the Grail chooses, why the last man to win the Grail tried to destroy it, are you familiar with the great fire from ten years ago? That was the result of that man's wish. If you do not wish to participate, I am sworn to provide you sanctuary, although you would be the first to quit before anybody actually died."

"Not the kind of reputation I'm fond of." Shirou said, more to himself than Kirei. "OK, sign me up preacher man."

Kirei looked mildly surprised at the guy, "Is that right?"

"Yeah, the upside is just too good to pass up, and Shirou Emiya is a gambling man. Anything else you need to tell me you can just send through the mail, trust me, I'll be alive to receive it." Shirou was out the door with Rin in tow, they made their way down the steps and out the gate where Saber stood guard.

"Have you concluded your business?" Shirou nodded to say 'yes', "And?"

"Seventh Master, future Grail owner, or co-owner, no offense Rin." He said.

The fellow Master gave him a stink eye, "Some taken."

"Saber, if you would allow it, will you fight at my side to victory? To the Grail." He held out his hand to her.

"I swore to be your blade, my vow still stands." She said with new admiration for the redhead, with that she took his hand, and sealed their pact.

Shirou looked out over the city, "If the Holy Grail was what caused the fire and all that death ten years ago, I can't let something like that happen again."

The three were making their way back home when Rin stopped, it hadn't crossed his mind that she would probably want to go to her own house.

"Rin…..thank you, for everything." He offered.

"Consider us even then, you stopped Saber from cleaving me."

"That's not all, listen, I know you don't know me too well, but you're the first person who hasn't tried to kill me tonight, even your Servant wants my dead, yet you hold him back." He took a step forward.

Rin blushed slightly, "A strategic move I assure you, I don't think I like what you're assuming."

Shirou took another step, "Face it Tohsaka, you're a good person, i like people like you. I was wondering if you would consider a truce."

"Excuse me?" Rin look abashed. "Why would I need your help?"

"Think about it, together we could take out the other competition until it's just us. Then we can conduct a final battle with the loser stepping aside, it ensure our survival and a 50% chance of victory, much better than your odds alone, not saying you couldn't do it alone, I have no doubt you're more than capable."

"You're damn right I'm capable." Rin responded. "I'm willing to fight by your side until the point comes where you inevitably die, at that point I will be assuming my rightful role as Saber's Master, as it was meant to be. Besides if I don't get what I want, I'll just murder all of you."

Shirou rubbed the back of his head, "Well I can definitely respect your tenacity, but you'll be disappointed because I have no intentions of dying."

Saber suddenly turned, drawing her weapon in defense of something further down the road.

"Are you done chatting yet?" That white haired girl stood off in the distance, her piercing red eyes cut through the night and the towering mass behind her could only have been her Servant.

 **Author's Note: I'd like to give my respects to the various sources that I'll be using to make my story. Many people have put far more hours than I have into building the Fate lore to where it is now, and I give my thanks to all of those hard working men and women.**


	4. A Matter Of Family

**I do not own any of the Fate series, the following is a non-profit fan-based parody. The Fate series is the property of Konoki NAsu, UFOTABLE, Type Moon, and Aniplex. Please support the official release. I also must give credit to Xemness The Scholar for the original idea, and fans of the original story for all the support they've given me, you have my thanks.**

 **The story will pick up the moment Shirou and Rin are ambushed by Illya. I plan on filling in my Shirou's backstory through the story instead of doing it right off the bat, I also will be taking components from all routes of the Fate series. This Shirou won't be overpowered but he won't be the human punching bag he was in most of the routes, eventually he'll be able to win a fair fight., also I'll be moving around events that happen in the original series to differentiate myself from it, so most things from the series will happen, but the order will not be familiar nor how some of the events took place.**

 **A Matter Of Family**

A notification that a quest has been activated goes unnoticed to Shirou.

"Onii-chan?"

The title came through clear, sweet as honey. It sounded as if spoken by an angel and at first glance, Shirou almost mistook her for one. Her radiantly white skin that blended perfectly into her hair stood stark against the piercing red eyes that held a look of childish amusement along with…..something else. The unexpected encounter took the boy by surprise, although not as much as the honorific.

 _Onii-chan?_ Shirou thought. The fire that Kiritsugu had saved him from had burned whatever life he had had before from his memory, so he would have no way to know if she was his sibling, the **?, Level ?** where her name should be didn't help matters. He couldn't remember what his parents look like, but the lack of familiar facial features between the girl and him calmed his curiosity. _A foreign custom perhaps? Maybe she's trying to throw you off so she can attack while your distra- oh crap._ It was at this moment that Shirou took notice to the dark mass behind the girl. Lost in his train of thought he dismissed it as a dark aura or perhaps the lighting, but then it began to move….and then rise. The massive figure dwarfed the girl, dwarfed them all. Shirou didn't require a fight-or-flight response, the power the thing put off was intense, and the mere fact that this girl is confident enough to operate in the open suggested that she was confident in victory, either that beast, or worse even, both of them, were serious threats.

 **Berserker Servant, ?, Level ?**

"Good evening Onii-chan, it's a pleasure to meet you, Rin." As her sentence finished she performs a formal curtsy, "My name is Illya….Illyasviel von Einzbern, I can assume that you're familiar with the name?" She takes a single step forward and looks upon them with a single eye open, a playful intention masked on her face, but common sense shone through which only held to make her all the more creepy, she was teasing them, like a lion playing with its prey. Sabers' eyes soften, and her grip on her sword loosens slightly.

"The Einzberns-"

"Illya?" Shirou had cut Rin off as she began to reply, to which she took great offense, she glared with a scowl as he walked to her side, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "Please…" it was a gentle request, but Rin could see the the pleading in his eyes, for some reason….he needed to talk to this girl. She relented with a scoff that expressed her consent as she crossed her arms and turned her head as to not have to see those eyes searching her soul anymore. Shirou smiles with appreciation before taking another step forward, Saber does the same. "Illya, I've heard that name before, I've thought it, dreamed it, of you…..of me saving you. I had no idea on how to find you, i've been trying but…..how do you find a person who isn't listed anywhere on the Internet, but hear you are, it's almost like a dream." His composure straightened, the light of the street light shone his face a little more brightly, and his words became like sweet honey pouring from his mouth. His amber eyes shining with a promise of comfort with his best boy scout smile he speaks again. "If you really are Illya, big brother is here to take you home" he extends a hand.

Silence overtakes the street, the town peacefully sleeping as Illya looks Shirou over. His words touched her heart, she spent so long denying that her father would ever abandon her willingly, bvut she was but a child and the passage of time crashed away her resolve like unending waves. Eventually…..she broke, her hope soured into disdain until eventually settling into a steaming hatred for the man she once considered her father, "no…."

"Illya I-"

"NO!" Shirou flinched at her stern words but more at the look in her eyes, _pure hatred_. "He abandoned me, he abandoned us! With victory in his grasp he instead throws it all away, and for what?! We never even got DAMN EXPLANATION!"

"No…. tha-that doesn't sound like dad" His words were soft just barely loud enough for all to hear

"Shirou" Saber takes another step forward, "she speaks the truth. Kiritsugu Emiya was my master in the previous Holy Grail, it was by his order that i destroy the Holy Grail."

"That doesn't sound like dad!" He snaps, he can't dam up his emotion anymore as they spill out of him, he balls his fists. He can feel the daggers Saber is staring into the back of his head, he sighs and unclenches his fists. He turns to look at Saber, "I'm sorry," he turns back to Illya, " I'm sorry to both of you. I hear what you're saying Illya, you've every right to be angry, but I do believe that you don't have the full story, our dad would never abandon you"

Illya feels her confidence wane, her anger subsiding, maybe….maybe it was possible. Everything he said seemed so honest, so appealing, he would lie to her. As she strayed in thought she didn't notice her servant move until he stood by her side. She looked up at the figure she had placed so much trust into, her guardian, her closest friend. The beast roared with anger. Illya understood the roar clear, so he was really trying to pull on her heartstrings huh? How easily he had got her to let her guard down made sense now, the ability to coerce people with differing opinions with but a few charmed words, even going as far as bringing dead family into it, the kid was a proficient sociopath. She places her hands behind her back and shrugs with a smile.

"Okay, I'm gonna kill you now. Get them Berserker."

The beast lunges, he's on top of Rin in an instant, Rin looks up just as a volley of red missiles fly at the enraged Servant. Berserker spins with the first missile as is impacts his cheek, sending him spiraling down the street as another several close in, the beast produces a sword that Shirou was confident could be bigger than he. The volley comes in fast, faster than Shirou can read the projectile but not fast enough for Berserker who slashed through each attack with ease and inhuman speed. He focuses on the battle hoping to pick up anything of interest. He looks at Berserkers equipment, all of which are **?** _So he and his stuff are too high of a level huh? Figures_ , he takes a glance at Saber, **Saber Servant, ?, Level 79** , at that moment a notification appears, **Servant Summary** , _Definitely not the time for that,_ Shirou thinks, _besides that would be weird i'll just ask_. He takes notice that Saber is removing her yellow raincoat, not understanding for a microsecond before the image of Berserker appearing mid swing in his peripheral made him understand, the Servant had moved again, it seemed like he teleported next to Shirou, but he knew betterthan to discredit the speed of a Servant, he was about to die. The clash of steel sent a shockwave that pushed Shirou back, Saber had arrived in time to meet this threat. Their swords struggle against each other, Saber feels the strength of Berserker against her own and she feels her footing start to give, so she front flips, now above him she slices at his neck but the Einzbern Servant is moving, faster than normal human physics should allow someone's of that size. He ducks the swing and delivers a crushing uppercut that catches the sword Saber positioned in front of her, the beast lauches in the air, spinning furiously before again catching her with a spinning kick, the impact of which send hers flying, tumbling before coming to a rolling stop 10 feet away.

 _Merlin's beard,_ she remarks, _I was hoping that speed would be in my favor, if not I can't allow him to push forward._ She speeds at Berserker, their swords meet again, sparks fly, each flurry from one Servant being matched by the other, she rolls under his legs to slice at his Achilles tendon, Berserker jumps and aims to land on Saber, she rolls again away as he lands leaving indentation of his impact on the street, she feints the overhead and aims for a downward strike to the left hip, but he isn't fooled and sidesteps the attack as her sword lodged itself into the ground, he throws a backhand that misses Saber doing her best limbo to dodge the attack as it sends a light post flying into the distance. Saber jumps backwards, the swing just grazed her nose but was enough to break half. Berserker doesn't let up, he comes in throwing overhead after overhead, trying to break the block his opponent. Saber sidesteps the next one, to which Berserker stops the the attack at her waist, turning the blade to a horizontal strike, she jumps over it, landing on his blade. She runs along its length, stomping on his face before flipping, hoping to eviscerate him from the genitals to his head. The mad Servant steps on her encroaching blade, sacrificing his foot to land a kick to her midsection, the force pushes Saber back, but she brings her sword with her, slicing deeper into his foot in the withdraw. _His foot is almost in half,_ she looks at the Servant before moving back in, this time circling to the opposite side of the injured foot, dragging along her sword low to the ground she gets Berserker to commit to protecting his one healthy leg, allowing her a clean thrust to his abdomen, to her surprise however he is unfazed, she quickly retrieves her sword before Berserker can grab her, she knew if he got ahold of her she wouldn't be able to free herself easily. She takes the moment to evaluate again, _with his limited mobility I have the opportunity to change to a more ideal location, gaining an advantage and ensuring my Master a chance to run_ _._ With that she speeds past the beast and down the road, leading Berserker away from her Master.

Shirou watched the pair of Servants run off in the distance, the shock finally wearing off, he looked to see Illya almost out of sight but he could see her title now, **Illyasviel von Einzbern, Homunculus, Level 28**. He knew she was trouble, if Tohsaka and him worked together they might be able to subdue her, but they'd have to be quick, he wasn't sure how long Saber could hold out. He began running after Illya, he was glad to hear the sound of Tohsaka running behind him, glad to be amongst brave souls, _We'll bring her home together,_ he ran faster. The closer they got to Illya the clearer the sound of blades making contact became, _she's heading to Berserker_ , he thought, _now's a perfect time for a plan Shirou._ He had no healing and mana regen potions on his potion, UBW was useless against Berserker and he refused to draw a blade to fight his sister. _She has to see reason, my sincerity,_ his thoughts responded, _because that worked so well last time._ He had already made up his mind however as they finally caught up to Illya in a forest that resided around a graveyard. Large trees hung overhead, only the three of them could be made visible outside of the dark outlines of the forest along with the glimmers of moonlight that shone through the trees, lightly illuminating the forest floor.

"Illya, wait. Let me explain," he pleaded, hoping to reattach with whatever had gotten her to listen the first time. She didn't respond, instead producing several birds, each one named **Illya's Familiar, Level 20.** The numbers were against them and he knew it he thought until a red and black orb whizzed by his face before making contact with one of the familiars. Three other familiars responded immediately, sending concentrations of magical energy at their locations, to which he and Rin dodge. The birds were like some sort of mini mages, another string of energy attacks smash into the ground where they stood a second ago, leaving smoking craters in their wake. Realizing the power and frequency of these attacks would eventually catch up to them, Shirou and Rin take cover behind a vacant tree. Rin releases another volley, destroying each of the remaining familiars.

"How does it feel Rin," Illya asked with a chuckle, "knowing that generations of Tohsaka brilliance can be reproduced in a workshop." Rin felt anger bubble up from her stomach, the burning subsided however when Illya produces 4 more familiars, which then began to morph before settling on greatswords. "A vulgar doe and a swindler, skewering you will be a pleasure." At that she launches a sword at her targets. Rin, not knowing who the sword will hit, projects multiple layers of magical protection that covers the pair, this does nothing to slow down Illya attack though as it careens through Rin's protection, sending green shard of magical barriers drifting into the wind before dispelling into the wind along with the familiar spell. "It seems your barrier affected my blade's trajectory, no matter, your death is but a formality at this point."

 _My protection magic is lacking and Tohsaka can't go on the offensive with me holding back, we should regroup and refocus our efforts, perhaps we can-,_ his train of thought cut by the incoming trio of magical projectiles. He thinks back to his training, _what can I do?_ Then it comes to him, _Time Alter_ , as the words come into his mind he can feel the wind flow slow, _Double Accel_ , he grabs Rin, her eyes moving too slow to comprehend Shirou movements and by the time she realized they were moving, they had already stopped.

Their venue had changed, the dark shadows of overlooking trees was replaced with the soft glow of moonlight, with newfound vision they take in the wilted grass, the rows of tombstones, they were in a graveyard. They also noticed that they were not alone, Saber was ahead of them continuing her fight against the fellow Servant. Saber moves among the tombstones, making Berserker pivot on his injured foot, she charges whenever he tries to move out of the encirclement of graves, keeping him stationed in the middle. She stalks him, waiting until her patience is rewarded, the integrity of Berserker's foot finally giving way and splitting down the middle, causing the beast to howl in pain. That was her moment and she took it, Saber pours it on, delivering a flurry of thrusts to his head and neck, unfortunately she only grazes him, his movement and reflexes still fast enough to come out unscathed. She moves to his back, and Berserker, unable to circle with her rolls away but Saber doesn't let him get far jumping over him and landing her sword on his shoulder, pinning him to the ground.

"Ex-" Saber's sword begins to glow.

Berserker pulls the blade from his shoulder but doesn't let go, instead pulling it towards him, again trying to get ahold of his adversary, Saber is having none of it and feeds her mana into her sword, which is now a brilliant golden glow. Berserker feels the heat of the energy burn his hands and throws the sword and it's owner into a gravestone, disrupting the flow of mana to her sword. Rin analyzed the situation, _why bring him here?_ Saber charges back in but jumps back immediately to avoid a horizontal swing which collides with a tombstone, she charges back in with a thrust that only just pierces the skin. She retreats, circling the Servant, before charging underneath another swing to reappear at his side, not stopping there, she jumps as she correctly assumed her enemy would be prepared and dodges the following swing before taking another swipe across his face, drawing blood. Rin's eyes lit up, _she's using the gravestones as a way to counter his speed by using his immense size against him, limiting his movements. He could simply smash through them all but that would leave him open to_ attack. Berserker doesn't wait for the fellow Servant to come in again, deciding to crash his sword into the ground, sending dirt and debris her way as the ground beneath is torn asunder by his strength. Saber sees this as her chance and rushes forward amongst the dust cloud left from the impact, she moves around the airborne stones and emerges through the other side, forcing everything into her forward momentum she lunges at his heart only to pierce Berserker's hand, he had caught her strike mere centimeters from its intended target. He moves her sword, angling so he can get a clean shot at her head, but Saber is already flowing more mana into her sword and with the a mighty battle roar unleashes her stored energy, delivering a devastating blast to his chest, opening him in half at his neck.

"Saber!" Shirou is running to his Servant before his call is heard.

The red gleam in Berserker's eyes fades away, Saber looks to see her Master is on the battlefield. She hold out her hand, and orders "Shirou, stay back!" Berserker's previously gaping chest is now being filled with a red substance and his wounds are healing, no... reversing? Rin too notices this and calls onto her own Servant.

 _Archer, do you have a clear shot?_

"Yes, stay clear, I'll wipe them all out in an instant" The Archer looks down onto the battlefield from a mile away, bow drawn, he focuses on the epicenter, maximizing the destructive radius while giving his Master ample time to escape.

Rin doesn't waste any time, looking over to Shirou and yelling "Emiya, recall Saber and retreat. Archer is going to bring this place down." Shirou springs into action, his Servant in sight he calls upon his power once more, _Time Alter Double Accelerate,_ he is at her side in seconds, grabbing her hand, he makes to leave but is blocked by an incoming leg kick aimed for their heads. Saber pivots, sword still in hand she thrusts it forward far to short to reach Berserker which makes Shirou wonder, but then she speaks.

"Invisible Air!" A jet of condenses air exits the tip of the blade, making contact with the enraged Servant with the force of a semi into his chest. While this only serves to stun the Servant, it is more than enough time for them to retreat before Archer's attack lands, exploding on impact into a raging inferno that scorched the landscape, leaving a smoking crater where Berserker was, wait was? Indeed the Servant stood up in the middle of the crater looking no worse for wear.

"Oh? 2 Lives? Impressive." Shirou sees Illya appear into the clearing, an eyebrow raised in amusement, " An ordinary Servant would've fell from such an attack with a clear shot, however Heracles is no ordinary Servant, in fact there is no one stronger."

"Heracles…" Rin remarks, allowing himself a moment to think, _she wouldn't give away the name of her Servant so willingly, she doesn't intend to allow us to live through this._ Her thoughts are confirmed as Heracles again shoots forward, but somehow appearing behind Saber who tried her best to dodge the incoming blow but still felt the right side of her ribs disintegrate as his fist made contact with the portion of her chest that her sword couldn't cover in time. The two Masters looked horrified as Saber crumpled to the ground in a heap, only slightly regaining her footing by leaning on her sword as a crutch.

Shirou's mind raced, _she can't attack or defend properly in her position, the next blow will be fatal_ , his feet were moving, he didn't know when he moved but he was now, his body pushing itself past its limit, he looked up at his mana bar which was now at a little less than quarter full, the Time Alter consuming a large amount of mana for it being his first time using it in a battle scenario, twice at that. He reaches Saber as Berserker does, the blow is coming down on her, her sword glowing with a mysterious Holy energy as she stared down her foe, ready to unleash what would be her final attempt to defeat the Greek hero. She feels someone at her other side, she knows it to be her Master, but she doesn't understand. Her confusion deepens into a steady panic as she feels herself be pushed away from the incoming attack.

 _Why?_ She wonders

 _I'll keep your promise Kiritsugu,_ Shirou's hand makes contact with Saber's shoulder, _I'll start here, I'll save Saber, then Illya._ He can see the shocked look on Saber's face and can't help but smirk, _so this is what being a hero feels like, I could_ _get used to-_ as Heracles severs his spine, almost sounding like a Kit Kat bar breaking.

Illya took a moment to consider the dying boy, his blood staining the ground as he lay like a newly cut ham. She considered what he said, she sighed, the novelty of the encounter had worn off and she had became disinterested, "Lets go Berserker" she spun on her heels and made to leave but not before turning a final time to throw a wink at the defeated group, what she saw however sent chills down her spine. That boy was looking at her, not with a promise of revenge or even pain, but with determination, love, and a hint of betrayal. She felt something in her ache but she pushed it down, turning away.

Shirou continued to stare at the retreating figure even as the girl disappeared over the horizon and his vision failed. _Whatever you've been through, you won't have to carry that pain much longer. I'll find you again, I won't fail her dad, I won't fail you, I swear._ As his thought blurred to darkness and his body succumbed to the encroaching feeling of death's icy grip, he could just barely make out a notification as he slipped from consciousness.

 **A Hero Is Born, ~Quest Completed**

 **Hey there reader! I made this thinking about picking up the story, I'd appreciate any and all opinions and criticisms to gauge the approval of my story. To help clarify the difference in the Shirou of my story and Xemness, I'm leaving the current status of my Shirou below.**

 **Shirou Emiya, Level 30**

 **Health: 30/100**

 **Magic: 25/100**

 **Strength: 29/100**

 **Endurance: 50/100**

 **Dexterity: 27/100**

 **Intelligence: 30/100**

 **Wisdom: 20/100**

 **Luck: 58/100**

 **Skills:**

 **Element: Sword/Sword**

 **Resistance: Magic (5%) Curse (5%)**

 **Unlimited Blade Works: Locked**

 **Passive increase in Swordsmanship**

 **6% EXP increase in Sword skills progression**

 **10% EXP increase in Archery skills progression**

 **Charisma: C+**

 **Cooking: A+**

 **Cleaning: A+**

 **Zen: D-**

 **Gaia's Blessing: E**

 **Kenjutsu: D**

 **Reinforcement Magic: C**

 **Weapon Tracing: D-**

 **Time Alter: C**

 **Gun Fu: D+**


	5. Awakening

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate series or the original base of this story. All credit goes to UFOtable and Xemness respectively**

 **Awakening**

Shirou is now standing on a battleground scattered bodies lay dead everywhere. The ground and trees are scorched and dead, the smell of decay hangs in the air as flies and vultures feed on the feast prepared for them. The sun shines in his eyes, the radiance just peeking over the largest hill, and at the top of that hill, he can see a glimmer of silver, before he can discern anything else he is pulled from behind back into nothingness, through the void, and pushed back towards a light, this one is bright, he reaches for it.

Shirou opens his eyes, he's in his room, his **HP** and **Mana** bars had been fully replenished, and in golden letters below his name he read **LEVEL UP.** He wasn't worried about that at the moment though, he wanted to know why he was alive, although he was incredibly grateful. **BACK FROM THE BRINK!** The letters shone in front of his face, he attempted to swat the message away but was met with a slight discomfort from his back. **Feeling Death's cold embrace, you refuse to die, living to fight another day.** Now it was coming back to him, but that didn't explain why we was still drawing breathe. **Miraculous Healing~ through unknown means, you've been restored. Luck stat was increased by 2 points and max HP by 10 points!** _So not even the game knows,_ he sighed, _sometimes it's better to be lucky than good I guess._ The door to his room slides open and Saber steps through the doorway. It was the first time since she had appeared to him that he took the time to take in her appearance. Her hair hadn't changed since then and that didn't bother him in the least, what did catch his attention was the outfit she was wearing. Her white shirt was spotless and the blue ribbon around her neck matched well with the her long skirt that was modest enough yet was high enough so she could maneuver around without being hindered, and the entire outfit hugs her curves in just the right way… _Reel it in Shirou,_ he thought shaking his head, to which Saber quirked her her head to the side, confused.

"You haven't fully recovered from your injuries," she walked over to him and places a hand on his stomach, causing Shirou to stammer an incoherent protest which fell on deaf ears as she inspected his bandaging. "To survive a strike from Heracles, and with the damage you sustained, it was no small feat of luck. Surprisingly, the other Master willingly helped stabilize you, usually such an opportunity to strike at a weakened Master would be met with haste."

He moved her hand, allowing him to speak in complete sentences again."That's because we have a truce, what makes you so distrusting?"

Saber had stopped her inspection and now looked Shirou in the eyes, her emerald eyes seemed to cut through him. "It is not a lack of trust, it's just basic survival. In a life-or-death scenario people are willing to do anything to ensure it, and the Holy Grail War is first and foremost a deathmatch"

"Tohsaka wouldn't do anything like that," Shirou responded, propping himself up on his elbows so he could sit up and talk to her at eye level.

Saber raised her eyebrows, "Oh, you seem quite certain. Am I to believe you have a relationship spanning before the War with this Tohsaka?" Shirou's face flushed red and he could feel a growing heat in the back of his neck.

"Of course not!" he said way too quickly. Noticing this, he decides this conversation needs to change ASAP, so he shrugs nonchalantly and continues, "She's trustworthy enough to heal me, an ally that can heal those kinds of wounds will be useful."

"Perhaps," she responded putting her hand on her chin, an inquisitive look on her face, "but she didn't heal them, she stopped you from dying in that street, how you survived the night, or recovered so quickly is a mystery."

Shirou copies her expression and joins her in contemplation, "Hmmmm", he uses the moment to bring up his **Stats** menu, scrolling down until he reached **Passive/Active Effects**. Looking about he notices that his **Health Regeneration** has gotten a serious buff, **10 HP Regen per hour rested, 2 HP regen per hour active.** Now that he thought of it, he hadn't had that a week ago, so it must be related to the Holy Grail War, perhaps a game perk for participating? He is interrupted by the deep growling originating from his stomach.

"You should eat Master, hunger is the enemy." She stands up and offers her hand to Shirou which he accepts gratefully.

He stands up, wincing at the discomfort in his back, "I'd appreciate it if you didn't call me that, also did you have anything of preference?"

"We Servants do not require food, we live off the mana provided by our Masters. Besides, a soldier eats what is given to him, extravagance is the enemy."

"Saber."

"Oh right, what would you have me call you?"

"Shirou is fine i guess, everyone else calls me it," he said with a slight chuckle

Saber tilted her head down, seeming to contemplate the suggestion. Shirou couldn't help but sweatdrop, was he going to have to convince this girl to use his actual name? His fears were washed away when she replied, "Shirou, yes, I like the sound of that." With that confirmation, they make their way over to the kitchen. Shirou looks over to Saber, she walked with grace, but not without confidence, there was power and purpose behind every step.

"Were you able to find comfortable sleeping arrangements?" He wasn't sure why he asked, it just seemed like the polite thing to ask as a host.

"Yes, sleep is the enemy. A soldier should always be well rested and ready for the coming battle." Her face was stern, there was no joking in her words.

"Sounds like you have a lot of enemies," he says with a smirk, hoping to elicit some kind of emotion from the otherwise stoic girl, the joke goes unnoticed unfortunately.

As they reach the dining area, Saber takes a seat, placing her hands in her lap and her feet beneath her, the serenity she showed did not match with her demeanor, or her skills in battle.

Shirou got to cooking, preparing enough food himself, Saber, and-. The door burst open, Taiga pirouetting herself perfectly into the dining room.

"Shirou! I can smell your cooking! Don't even tell me what it is, I want it to be a surprise." As she makes her way to the table she finally observes the girl sitting there, looking at her, almost looked like she was analyzing her. "Um, I'm sorry and you are?" A clattering of dishers can be heard as Shirou appeared beside Saber faster than even she could follow, it seemed he had started talking before he had even stopped at her side.

"- relative of Kiritsugu, a distant relative. She appeared practically out of nowhere, how could I turn her wat?" His hands in front of him, Shirou tried his best to reassure his "big sister" of why Saber was here.

"A relative? Kiritsugu never once brought up anything that close to the subject of an extended family, I cannot allow a boy and girl to sleep under the same roof," her glare cementing her affront to the very idea.

"That is unacceptable," both Shirou and Taiga turned in surprise to Saber who looked at Taiga with the same flat expression she had the entire day. "It is my sworn duty to protect Shirou from any and all danger, I cannot do that if we are in separate households, so I will remain here."

Taiga looked to protest further but her scowl was quickly replaced with an evil grin, " Alright young lady, you say that are here to protect Shirou? We'll put it to the test," a pair of grumbles echo across the room, "after breakfast of course!" The meal is quiet and quick, with Taiga glaring down Saber the entire time, Saber being lost in the surprising flavors of the grilled fish, making her reconsider her previous remarks about the unimportance of food, and Shirou who used the time to level up.

 **Please Choose An Area To Which You'd Like To Improve**

The menu brought before him was like a wheel, with each spin bringing up a new skill tree. The level up had left him with 3 skill points to assign as he wished. Already knowing where he wanted his first point, he placed it into his **Fitness** tree, receiving the notification instantly. **You Have improved Your Fitness! Movement Speed has been increased by 2%, You have now unlocked the perk Ironman,** he clicked on it with his mind, **Ironman allows you to dig deep, finding the hidden strength to defeat your enemies. Fighting while fatigued will increase this perk's effectiveness.** He was sure that 2% boost would've helped last night. He placed his remaining two points into **Unlimited Blade Works,** increasing the level of weapons he can trace from an E to a D, skipping two grade thresholds. **Weapon Tracing has increased to D, Kenjutsu has increased to D+**. While he could've let it level up naturally through progression, this was a nice way to streamline the process, as long as he had skill points handy.

"Shirou are you coming?" He was snapped back into reality by Saber, Taiga had already cleared the table and was waiting at the doorway that led to the dojo. Another notification, **A Matter Of Family~enter the dojo.** Shirou rose from the table and joined the the women at the doorway, they then made their way out. They reached the dojo, which Shirou always kept in immaculate condition. As they stepped in nostalgia washed over him, Taiga and him didn't practice as much together as they used to, but he doubted that the five dan woman had lost her touch.

"Alright," Taiga said, producing two shinai from behind her back, tossing one to Saber, "lets see what you can do missy." Saber simply nodded, then bowed before her opponent, but not taking up a stance. "You're going to leave yourself open? Either you underestimate me or overestimate your abilities." Taiga moves in, dashing to try and land the first hit, but as she reached her desired destination, Saber was no longer in front of her, and her shinai was gone, she felt a soft _clunk_ hit the back of her head, Saber had beat her.

"I win," Saber states, "we can do this again if you wish but the outcome will be the same."

Shirou watches Taiga grumble something about cheating, the sun in her eyes, and newly waxed floors before proceeding back to the house, he was sure that this wasn't going to be the end however.

"Shirou," he turned, Saber stood there shinai still in hand, "I find it imperative that we increase the quality of your fighting skills if we are to be victorious. Would you be opposed to a sparring session when you fully recover?"

He turns around fully, knowing she would protest that he rest in his current condition he simply gives her an 'I'm okay' thumbs up, Saber tosses him the wooden stick, he couldn't help but notice the heat still radiating from the handle. He nods in approval before taking his place at the side opposite of his Servant, they bow to one another. Saber can't help but be impressed by her Mas- by Shirou's resolve. They take their stances, Saber is the first to advance.

Shirou is is ready for the first attack, a lunging thrust aimed for his forehead which he ducks but isn't ready for the spinning backhand that followed immediately after. He's surprised by the force of the blow, he doesn't move with it causing with to stumble back into his butt. Saber is on top of him before his ears stop ringing, he moves the shinai up to defend, blocking the next swing and giving him a split second to retrieve himself, swinging wide to try and gain distance. Saber doesn't bite, she moves forward in a blur, he could now feel her breathe on his face, instinctively blocking the swipe to his ribs, he tries pushing her away but is met with what feels like a brick wall, she had him cornered. She begins picking him apart, switching levels and attacking at all angles, he knew it was only a second but it felt like he had been through 8 rounds in a ring. Knowing he had to do something, he begins pushing everything he has into his arms and legs, he swings wildly, to the head, to her body, he slides under and tries to take her legs out but is met with a foot to the chest. Shirou doesn't stop moving, he uses all his strength to strike where her knee bends, causing the Servant to stagger slightly, he hits the other, she begins to fall but catches herself.

 _Almost,_ he thinks, he springs to his feet and dashes at her, pushing all of his power into his legs he looks at his **Mana,** subconsciously he visualizes the mana spreading to his arms and legs and at that moment his surrounding blur and he feels his face smack against the wall in force.

Saber looks down at her now unconscious Master, a look of admiration in her eyes. "Shirou..." He had managed to actually move at her own speed, if only for a moment. Perhaps she could have hope, even confidence, in their victory.

 **Author's Note: Just a little side note, I don't plan on powering Shirou up too much too soon. You'll see hints at his potential but the power creep will be slow, eventually he'll be a badass, also every skill point is a level earned.**

 **Shirou Emiya, Level 33**

 **Health: 40/100**

 **Magic: 25/100**

 **Strength: 29/100**

 **Endurance: 50/100**

 **Dexterity: 27/100**

 **Intelligence: 30/100**

 **Wisdom: 20/100**

 **Luck: 60/100**

 **Skills:**

 **Element: Sword/Sword**

 **Resistance: Magic (5%) Curse (5%)**

 **Unlimited Blade Works: Locked**

 **Passive increase in Swordsmanship**

 **6% EXP increase in Sword skills progression**

 **10% EXP increase in Archery skills progression**

 **Charisma: C+**

 **Cooking: A+**

 **Cleaning: A+**

 **Zen: D-**

 **Gaia's Blessing: E**

 **Kenjutsu: D**

 **Reinforcement Magic: C**

 **Weapon Tracing: D-**

 **Time Alter: C**

 **Gun Fu: D**

 **Perks :**

 **Ironman**

 **Miraculous Healing**


	6. An Entertainer For His Majesty

**Disclaimer: I do not own either the Fate series or the original base of this story "Shirou's life is a game." Every skill point represents a level earned.**

 **Video Game Dialogue**

Regular Dialogue

 _Thinking_

 **An Entertainer For His Majesty**

Shirou sees it coming this time, he sidesteps the left thrust to the body, jumping before the subsequent leg swipe that came after. He cycles his kicks at Saber while he's still airborne, he catches her shoulder after the first 4 are blocked, she responds by grabbing his left foot as it was coming in, pulling him to the floor. Shirou can't stay on the ground, but if he got up he had no way of defense, he braces his hands to the floor above his head and does a handstand, aiming his feet at Saber's midsection. He wasn't surprised that she dodged it, so he splits his legs and moves his hands to spin while upside down, landing a leg to her stomach, or so he thought.

"Very nice Shirou," Saber smirks, she has his leg pinned to her with her arm, "but you've sacrificed your chance to gain proper footing." Shirou kicks with his other leg, she grabs it and throws one of her own, Shirou has no choice but to block, his head hitting the floor as the kick sends him tumbling across the floor. "Flashiness is for entertainers," she walks towards him, Shirou does the same, breath laboring, muscles aching, his body is screaming at him, he ducks and pushes his legs forward, launching himself at Saber. A foot before he reaches her, he plants his hands to the ground and pushes to the right, feeling the wind from the downward elbow that just grazed his cheek. "You want to entertain me?" Saber questions with a quirked eyebrow. Shirou charges forward with a roar, he's running on fumes, he sees Saber reach under her skirt and produce a shinai.

 _Oh shit,_ it's only thought he has yet appropriate, where did she get it? They had long since discarded the weapons. He has no more time to think, he was coming in hot and had no way to evade that he hadn't already showed her, he had to fight. She speaks again.

"I'll tell you how," she taps his forehead with the tip of her weapon, stopping him in his tracks, "fight like a soldier. You got too swept up in the fight that you lost track of your surroundings, never willingly give up the use of your weapon and never hesitate to retrieve it if the opportunity can be seized." Shirou straightens up, rubbing his sore muscles he looks Saber in the eyes as she continues. "Your opponent will probably have a plan in place if their weapon is dropped, you should as well, other than that though, you've shown great potential"

Shirou rubbed his head and laughed sheepishly, "Guess I'm a chip off the ol' Mage Killing block huh? Kiritsugu was always more into guns though, so my technique is basically whatever I can think of at the moment."

"Kiritsugu…" Saber looked off in the distance.

"Saber," she looks up, Shirou looks at her softly, "I'm sorry, whatever you're wish was, my dad took it away from you, and that wasn't fair to you. He's gone but I'm confident that his reasons were just." Shirou speaks again before she can respond, "I'm not Kiritsugu though, and you aren't even the same person from then, time changes everything, making it new. I'll make your wish a reality, all I ask is that you see the world as new and leave the past where it belongs." He extends his hand, "we're together in this, and I can tell you're a good person, I want you to be able to trust me as much as I trust you."

Saber's eyes widen, her hope returning like something she had lost long ago, she allows herself to open up for a moment and smiles warmly at the young man before taking his hand. "Very well Shirou, I am your sword."

"Then I'll be your shield, I am yours to use."

"Shirou…"

He waves her off, "And don't start on that Master, Servant nonsense. We both know I'm not doing the heavy lifting, it's the least I can do" he said, he spoke again with more confidence "although with how our spar went perhaps not for long."

A smirk appears on Saber's face, she joins her hands behind her back, "yes, a little more practice and maybe you can beat me with both my hands tied." She turns away from him and starts for the door, "we should go, you haven't eaten in hours, and-"

"Hunger is the enemy?" Shirou answers with a cheeky grin, the soreness was finally easing away and he was indeed a bit peckish.

Saber opens the door, allowing the sun's faint glow to enter the room, Shirou hadn't realized how late it had gotten. His Servant looks at him with shock and awe, "Incredible, the punching bag is learning, wonderous times we live in." With that they made their way back to the dining area.

Shirou was exhausted, so much so that he didn't even realize the extra attendance at the table until he reached the kitchen, turning back to look at the 3 women with confusion that all looked at him expectantly. "Ummmm, hey guys. What are you doing here?" he asked. _More like, what the hell are you doing in my house, this isn't a bed and breakfast,_ he thought, looking at Tohsaka, Sakura, and Taiga. He didn't mind their company in the slightest, but he could already see the hungry gleam in Taiga's eyes, which meant more time cooking. _I haven't even gotten to properly talk to Saber yet, I don't even know her name now that I think of it._

Sakura was the first to respond, "You weren't in class today Sempai, I took the liberty of retrieving the work that you missed," she looks down, tapping her index fingers together, "I hope you don't mind."

"Wow, really? You're the best Sakura, what would I do without you?" The purple haired girl blushes at the compliment, going unnoticed by Shirou, who instead turned to Rin next expectantly awaiting her answer. She crosses her arms and closes her eyes before finally speaking.

"We have an agreement correct? Who would I be if I didn't check my study partner's well being?" She relaxes her posture, now looking with a slight of curiosity, "How are you feeling, you seem to be doing well."

Shirou grabs at his shoulder, stretching it slightly. "Well after last night I'm surprised to be up at all, but I only have some soreness. You and Saber seem to be doing fine as well, considering you guys did most of the work, sorry I couldn't keep up. Saber has been helping me with my form since I woke up." He chuckled, "Honestly I'm wiped."

All the color leaves Sakura's face before she passes out. Taiga looked at him inquisitively, her face the color of a tomato she asks "What exactly were you three doing last night?"

"Oh, I've been considering rejoining the Archery club and Saber and Rin know some amazing workout regimens that are doing wonders, are we not going to talk about whatever is going on with Sakura though? Are you ok Sakura? You're not anemic are you?" Rin, Taiga, and a now conscious Sakura looked at the boy incredulously, Saber looked on, wondering the same about the purple haired girl.

Taiga sighed, "You're a good kid Shirou.'

"Ummm, thanks….. I guess? Anyways whose hungry? I've been dying to try out this new Oyakodon recipe!" With a clap of his hands, Shirou made his way to the kitchen to prepare.

After the delicious meal, Shirou suggested Tohsaka walk home with Taiga and Sakura to ensure she get home safe, which Taiga claims to be unnecessary. "Sakura and I will be staying the night. Isn't that right Sakura?" Sakura looks at Taiga in surprise before eagerly shaking her head in appreciation. "While I have no doubt that you are capable Shirou, Saber should know about the city from a woman's perspective." Saber looks at her but doesn't seem to have any opinion on the matter, seeing this Shirou decides that that it would be best not to protest. Besides, he enjoyed the company of his closest friends, and he could always use more willing guinea pigs for his cooking. So with them all in agreement, Saber, Sakura, and Taiga set themselves up in some spare rooms, leaving himself and Rin to talk.

"I appreciate you coming to check on me, I didn't take you for the caring type Tohsaka."

She blushes for only a moment before composing herself, "It was in my best interest to check on you. If nothing else if you died in your sleep I could probably convince Saber to join Archer and I."

"Where is Archer by the way, Saber didn't seem to sense him."

"He said he preferred to keep a distance from here to better survey the area around your house in case another Master wanted to take out the 2 of us once."

"That's pretty smart, the guy's got a good head on his shoulders. I'm glad that he's so willing to trust me."

Rin placed her hand on her chin, looking thoughtfully into space. "Honestly he hasn't said much about our truce. I take his silence and willing compliance as approval, but he's usually more vocal about his opinions either way. Well anyways I'm going to head out while there;s any daylight left. I'll see you at school tomorrow." Shirou took that it wasn't a question as she left without awaiting an answer, he decided to see her out. As he watched her slowly disappear down the street he could just barely make out the figure of Archer in the distance, shutting the door he headed to his room, never seeing the bow that was aimed at his head by the Servant. Archer lowered the bow in frustration before disappearing, he'd get his chance soon enough.

Finally reaching his futon, Shirou laid down with a with a soft thud. Looking up at the ceiling he realized he finally had time to review his progression. With but a thought the videogame menu appeared before him with multiple notifications for him to go through, he starts with the first.

 **Fighting Styles**

 **Every great warrior has a fighting method that they specialize in, through strenuous hand to hand combat, you have unlocked a choice to claim one as your own! Each of these styles can be implemented into your style of play.**

 _Sweet, it makes sense considering the chance of me getting disarmed are pretty high with me at such a low level,_ he thought.

 **Capoeira- Afro-Brazilian dance fighting, use the flow of your movements to surprise your opponent through a variety of powerful and quick attacks emphasizing acrobatics, flexibility and coordination. (Side Skill- Drunken Fist)**

 **Pankration- made famous by the Greeks, this sports combines various boxing, grappling, and kicking techniques, use all methods within your honor and knowledge to defeat your opponent! (Side Skill- Godspeed)**

 **Kalaripayattu- the oldest of martial arts, the 8 animal stances as you're base to be prepared for any situation, with each proving effective in different situations. (Side Skill- Vishnu's Blessing)**

 _So two fighting styles that both offer versatility while allowing me to catch my opponents off balance with unpredictable strikes. An any-way-to-win necessary style that combines all realms of hand-to-hand combat that also seems to add a disgusting speed buff, and an ancient martial art that practices precision and patience focused around stance with a magic buff._ He furrowed his brow in contemplation, the magic buff would be incredibly useful as while he had an average mana meter, his mana regen was incredibly slow. On the other hand, the speed boost would gel well with his swordplay, and if he did get disarmed two fighting styles to be able to lean on would be a comfort. _I doubt Saber would approve of me being drunk during a fight, doesn't help that I've never had a drink and don't know my tolerance, so I'd have a complete unknown in a skill I may not be able to use. The magic buff is nice but the speed buff is better suited for me, also pankration is closest to how I fight now between the two, I guess the second one it is!_ With that thought the letters vanished and Shirou was hit with a wave of fighting knowledge, only the basics but still more than he knew a moment ago.

 **Congratulations! You have unlocked Pankration and Godspeed!**

Shirou wasted no time in placing a skill point in both, unlocking more knowledge of pankration, but it was the side skill that really interested him.

 **Godspeed- any enemy within your sight is within your reach, cross battlefield in a single breath as you slaughter armies in minutes. Increases base Dexterity by 20, decreases Dexterity cost by 10%, and receive a 2% chance of instantaneous travel to anything within eyesight.**

Something about the skill spoke to him, and the added speed made him more confident to face other Masters, although he wouldn't be bold enough to attempt it against a Servant unless pressed. Much of his skill tree was still locked to him, he couldn't make out any other words as they were constantly shifting and changing. He sighed, _nothing a little hard work can't fix. I'll also have to try out these new moves, best to get a feel of them before i have to apply them in a real battle._ As he drifted off to sleep, he thought about Illya, about Rin, and Saber, they were involved in a death battle to grant a single wish, but why did they have to kill each other? The world had enough death in it, he didn't know who else would be involved but he didn't think he wanted to kill them either. No, he refused, he'd win the Holy Grail without killing anyone, he'd show the magical world the errors of their ways.

 **Shirou Emiya, Level 35**

 **Health: 40/100**

 **Magic: 25/100**

 **Strength: 29/100**

 **Endurance: 50/100**

 **Dexterity: 47/100**

 **Intelligence: 30/100**

 **Wisdom: 20/100**

 **Luck: 60/100**

 **Skills:**

 **Element: Sword/Sword**

 **Resistance: Magic (5%) Curse (5%)**

 **Unlimited Blade Works: Locked**

 **Passive increase in Swordsmanship**

 **6% EXP increase in Sword skills progression**

 **10% EXP increase in Archery skills progression**

 **Charisma: C+**

 **Cooking: A+**

 **Cleaning: A+**

 **Zen: D-**

 **Gaia's Blessing: E**

 **Kenjutsu: D**

 **Reinforcement Magic: C**

 **Weapon Tracing: D-**

 **Time Alter: C**

 **Gun Fu: D**

 **Pankration: Level 2 (Instant Travel: 2%)**

 **Perks :**

 **Ironman**

 **Miraculous Healing**


	7. The After School Special

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate series or the original base of this story. All credit goes to UFOtable and Xemness respectively**

 **The After-School Special**

"Shirou I insist you let me come to school with you."

Shirou looked down at his Servant, he had managed to dodge her through breakfast, instead showing great interest in Taiga giving her blessing to stay her permanently, apparently they had come to some 'understanding', whatever that meant, but now it was time to leave. He stood at the doorway half ajar, Saber stood but a couple feet away just as ready to leave.

"Listen things just don't work that way anymore. People are going to want paperwork and you don't exist in our world, it would draw unwanted attention." He did want to take her, he still hadn't gotten a chance to really get to know her but it's not like he'd be alone, he'd have Tohsaka.

"You make a valid point, but I can't condone you walking around without protection."

He smiled at her reassuringly, "If push comes to shove I'll use a command seal, I saw Archer teleporting around places and I figure that one of them has enough juice to do the same for you." He placed a hand at either side of her shoulders. "I promise I won't take any chances, you trust me right?" Her eyes softened slightly under his warm gaze, she was just as beautiful as that night.

"Shirou drop your arms, you'll get cramps." He snapped out of his daze, Saber had already began retreating back into the house, his arms stayed outreached. He hoped that he made it out quick enough, his face was burning and he could've sworn he ran ⅔ of the way to school in an instant but he couldn't tell, the entire way their he was lost in his own mind, finally coming down to reality when his Issei's snoring caught his ear.

"Issei, stay asleep if I can have your tea." Shirou found it weird that he would be asleep at this time, he was usually up to his neck in student council stuff, way to busy to take cat naps.

"If I'm still here sleeping tomorrow, don't wake me up." His head never lifted, his eyes remained peacefully shut. "I haven't slept well in days and I've got catching up to do." There was a knock, at the door, Issei stayed put, another knock, but Shirou thought that his friend was out cold. Mr. Kuzuki opened the door and walked in, looking immediately at the sleeping student, then back to Shirou.

"Mr. Emiya would you mind telling Issei that school will be ending early." He turned to leave but stopped mid stride, "Shirou have you heard anything from Shinji Mateou or Ayako Mitsuzuri, you were very popular amongst the archery club and Shinji is an acquaintance of yours yes?"

He looked curiously at his teacher, "No sir I haven't, may I ask why you're asking, is something wrong?"

"You're friends never went home last night, we've yet to see either of them, they're probably just ditching class together as students do. Even so, we must stay on the safe side, so there will be no extracurriculars after school." With that he left out the room, letting silence re enter the room.

Shirou made sure to relay the message to Issei when he finally woke up, after some brief discussion in which they realized neither of them had a clue on what was going on, they said their goodbyes before separating, Shirou decided he would go talk to Sakura, maybe she would know where Shinji was.

"Emiya!" He whipped his head around, prepared to help whoever was calling him with whatever broken equipment that usually drew this kind of attention towards him at school. Instead he was greeted by Tohsaka, which drew the attention of everyone within his vicinity as well, he felt like he was an animal at a zoo as they looked on in curiosity and bewilderment when she came to a stop inches away from him. "You're not too busy fixing water heaters are you?" She didn't wait for his answer, grabbing him by the hand as she half dragged him along the hallway. "Of course not, come with me, we've much to discuss." Shirou didn't protest, he just quickened his pace to stop the skid marks forming on floor. She finally released him when they arrived at the roof of the school, moving toward the gate that overlooked the campus. "Did you feel the Bounded Field when you arrived at school?" She turned to look at him, "with the quality of the one at your home, I would assume so."

While it was Kiritsugu who had created the field, Shirou had made sure to become well-versed in its inner workings, however, he had missed this one until now, having been distracted by his previous interaction with Saber. "Now that you mention it, I do, but isn't the point of a bounded field to not be detectable?"

Rin crossed her arms and started pacing along the gate, "you're correct, most magus' worth their mettle would never put up one of this quality. On the night you ran into Lancer I was in the middle of dismantling it, someone has come along and reinforced it though, they might not be proficient but they are observant."

"So there are other magi in the vicinity, but who? Are there any prominent magus in the area?" Shirou asked.

"Along with the Tohsaka's there are the Einzberns, Emiya's, Matou's and Kotomine's who would qualify as 'noted' magical bloodlines. We can rule out you and me, Little Miss Murder Machine and her Berserker would probably just charge on us, and Kirei is involved as only an observer, so that leaves….."

"Shinji and Sakura? Neither of them would hurt anyone, besides I've never noticed anything magical from either of them for as long as I've known them."

Rin stopped in front of Shirou, rolling her eyes at him she responded, "Of course not, magus families are incredibly secretive, withholding anything that could offer insight into their magical studies. You may think you know them, but you only know them outside of their craft, when they're working their act as civilians." Shirou looked out to the horizon in contemplation.

"A member of the archery club went missing yesterday, Mr. Kuzuki thinks that she and Shinji are ditching together, but Ayako was never a fan of Shinji, she would sooner give him one to the balls than hang out with the guy." He voiced his thoughts but not his doubts, Shinji was arrogant and full of himself but he was his friend, he met Sakura through him. "Why would Shinji, assuming it is him, put a Bounded Field around the school?"

Rin's face turned serious, "Master's that would wish to increase the power of their Servant could use the prana of civilians as a tribute, also the Matou's were involved in the previous Holy Grail War which would suggest how he would get access to a Servant in the first place, although the Matou's haven't had a fruitful heir in generations, many believe their magical circuits are drying up."

Shirou sat down, placing his back against the door to the roof he rubbed his eyes, "No, no, Shinji is a jerk, even a dick, but the mass murder of his fellow classmates?"

"When you weigh it against the promise of the Holy Grail though-"

"It's still not worth it, it'll never be worth that, I refuse to take a life to achieve my goals" He shook his head, he could see the look of exasperation on Rin's face. "There's got to be another way Tohsaka, murder is never a solution, it's a patch and a bad one at that." Rin looked down at the fellow Master in frustration before sighing, taking a seat next to him.

She looked over at him, "You do realize that this is a death battle. Everyone else, myself included, has already accepted this, there may come a time where you won't have a choice. This isn't like the regular world you're used to, magecraft has many branches allowing for a multiple of ways for someone to eliminate you or enhance themselves. If you hesitate or show mercy, you will die."

Shirou met her gaze, looking into her blue eyes, "We seem to be doing alright."

"Don't jinx it," she replied with a chuckle. She felt a yawn build in her chest before she exhaled it, bringing upon her a fresh tiredness. "I hate waking up in the morning, if the world could just start the day at noon, we'd all be way more refreshed." She scooted closer to Shirou, coming beside his arm before ducking under it, settling on his chest she sighed in content, lazily drifting to sleep. "Try not to move so much Emiya."

"Rin, wha-what are you…" Shirou began to protest but was caught off guard by the immense amount of heat that Rin put off, the warmth was soothing, lulling his eyes to shut. _A little nap wouldn't hurt, we've been working so hard, it's good to keep your energy up…._ Those were his last thoughts before he too drifted off.

Shirou woke when the once still mass on his chest began to move, he opened his eyes to see Tohsaka standing up, smoothing the wrinkles out of her uniform. He looked to the sun, now bathing them and their surroundings in an orange glow settling over the horizon. They had slept through the rest of the school day, he yawned and stretched out his legs along the ground.

"What do you have to gain from the war Tohsaka, you're smart, beautiful, popular, and an excellent mage. What could you want from the Grail?"

Rin's face changed 5 different shades of red before settling on a nice crimson in her cheeks, "For generations the Tohsaka's have considered it their duty to acquire the Grail in pursuit of the Root, the archives of all knowledge in existence. I, however, am in it for the right to call myself victorious."

"You would risk your life for bragging rights? Heh makes sense." He looked back at her and saw her face tilted slightly signifying her confusion. "You're tenacious and seem like the kind of person who doesn't halfass stuff. I'd expect nothing less to satisfy you." Her face had finally returned back to a normal color when she finally looked back at him. "As for me, I've seen first hand how magic can turn someone's life around, hell it saved mine, so why not give that gift to the entire world? Imagine the lives we could save if everyone knew what you knew." Now she was back to exasperation, Shirou felt like he was in a losing battle, the girl just wouldn't stay calm for more than a moment.

"That's not the way it works Emiya," she looked down over him, "It isn't like in the movies or books, do you know how much these stones are that you see me throw? I've thrown away a literal fortune already and haven't even killed a Servant, let me ask you, how many times do you think you can pull off that time technique you know?"

"I'd say 3 times currently, but they'd have to be in short intervals."

"What do you think will happen if you tried for a fourth? I'll answer that, nothing, your body would give out from overexertion and you'd die. Magi use manipulations in Gaia foundations to coax energy through false nerves you know as magic circuits, however the more people that use a certain foundation, the less power that foundation can divvy up to them, so if we currently with the known foundations to Magi were to grant it to everyone that didn't know of magic-"

"We'd all be normal people again." He looked down at his hands, "what's the point of these powers if I can't teach them to others."

Rin sat down again, this time in front of Shirou, lifting his head up by his chin. "Don't think less of yourself, magi work their asses off to get where they are at." She raised her arm to show a glowing maze pattern going down her arm, "a magus' crest is the collective knowledge of generations of magi before us, you've managed to learn Emiya family magic with no prior knowledge of it through just 5 years of training. Most people that first learn magic don't get anywhere for decades, it's all research for them." She got back up, dusting off her skirt and turning around, "you're not that bad of a magus."

"Thank you, Tohsaka. Heh, I knew you cared." He stood up with a grin walking to her side, he went to pat her on the back but Rin, in her anger of being embarrassed, turned around as his hand came in. Shirou's hand landed but something was off, Tohsaka's back wasn't solid, it was soft yet firm….and round…...he reeled in his hand, looking over slowly. He couldn't see her face but he could clearly read the bold letters that formed above her head, he felt the air go cold.

 **Status Effect: Tsundere-Damage Multiplier to Protagonist x2**

"Listen, Tohsaka, it was an accident, you know I didn't mean to, I'm not that kind of guy"

 **X1**

 _Good,_ he crept away slightly, "I swear Rin I didn't feel a thing." Her head whipped at him, her eyes were flaring, Shirou could see his breath, goosebumps began to form.

"EXCUSE me?" She turned to face him, placing a hand on her hip "Is there something wrong with the way I look Emiya?"

 **x2**

 **x3**

 **x4**

 **x5**

He smiled nervously, backing his way towards the door, "O-of course not, you don't have to worry I won't tell a soul."

"Yeah I guess you're right, **because you won't live to tell anyone.** " Her once womanly voice turned thunderous and baritone, that was enough for Shirou's instincts to kick in, he was down the stairs and through the hallway before he realized he had started running. He stopped in his tracks and turned around to look back through the hall he had came from. _She's a magus, so while she's proficient in spells, I should be able to close the distance and stop her from being able to throw her gems, with all of her focus into studying magic I should have the physical advantage._ His entire plan flew out the window as he saw Tohsaka come running along the wall, jumping from surface to surface at impressive speeds, Shirou was running again, knowing now just how overmatched he was.

 **Damage Multiplier x100**

He felt a tingling sensation at his heel, a warmth, he jumped in time to see the crater that was left from the spell Rin had aimed at his feet. The air around him went still, his senses heightened, he heard the sound of another spell and sensed the displacement of air coming towards his back, he ducked, the spell singling the ends of his hair. He landed on his stomach with a heavy _thud_ , the wind was knocked out of him, he heard the sound of clothes gliding through the air towards him, he rolled out of the way to see Tohsaka's feet land where he once lay. She was too close, running wasn't an option anymore, he jumped to his feet and engaged the enraged heroine hoping to tire her out enough to listen to reason. She threw a kick to his head, Shirou ducked under it, grabbing her still planted leg in the process he wrapped his legs around it to bring her down to the floor before spinning on top of her, settling his knee on her chest he looked her in the eyes. "Tohsaka, this is-" he was cut off by the spell that whizzed by his face in force, smashing into the ceiling, he allowed himself to wonder for a second what the staff would think of the damage left behind. Rin sent another that he weaved out of the it was enough to allow Rin a kick to his stomach. She was on her feet now, hands at her face in a boxer's stance, she threw a hook that Shirou blocked, then a uppercut to the stomach that he caught as well. The strikes began to come faster and with more variety. A blocked leg sweep led to a body hook, multiple straights to the face preceded a crane kick to the head, ending with a bicycle kick flurry as Rin attempted to break Shirou's block. He knew he couldn't last much longer, the blows were beginning to land, Rin had landed from her bicycle flurry behind him, he couldn't see it but he could see the red glow paint the hallways, it was another spell. Shirou dove through the door of the nearest classroom and barricaded the door closed.

"You're going to make me throw away another grand just to kill you," Rin called out from outside the class.

"Yeah, sorry about that, I'd like to live a little longer," he answered.

" **How's 5 seconds longer,"** a gem came crashing through the door window, landing at Shirou's feet.

 _Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shi-_ Shirou threw his weight through the door that wasn't barricaded out of the class and back into the hallway. He got up in time to see the entire room turn into a tornado sight, with a huge blast circle enveloping most of the floor. He looked into the room, _I wonder how we'll explain that._

Still in his thoughts, he didn't feel the red orb make contact with his stomach until it was too late, he was sent flying down the hallway, he was surprised he wasn't dead but incredibly grateful. He felt the heat at his face before his eyes even opened, being met by the red glow coming from Rin's hand, he held up his hands in defeat. "I'm no pervert Rin, you know this, you're beautiful but I would never do anything as low as copping a feel without a woman's consent." He could see her eyes soften slightly in contemplation, he could see her beginning to think things through, he hoped she would hurry it up a little as the spell felt like it would melt his face off at any moment.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The scream echoed throughout the campus and the duo took no later than seconds to find the owner, a female student lay motionless on the ground beneath a breezeway. Rin reached her first and went to checking her condition, Shirou looked for the assailant until he was interrupted by a large notification, it appeared he had gained a couple of skill points.

 **Through sharing information, you have increased your XP**

 **Through gaining a new loyal ally you have increased your XP**

 **Pankration level has been increased to 3, you have increased your XP**

 _Hmm, no better time than before a potential battle,_ Shirou thought. He looked quickly through his skill trees before settling on **Unlimited Blade Works** , he still had no idea what it meant, and the scribble of words below it were unintelligible, but it did provide a massive increase to his speed, kenjutsu, weapon tracing whatever that was, and archery, it also provided clarity to a bit of scribble in **UBW**. So decidedly he put the 3 skill points he had all into the skill and immediately felt a flow of energy surge through him, it felt like every nerve in his body was on fire for a moment but it settled down quickly.

 **Weapon Tracing has been increased to a C, you can now trace, copy and produce weapons at the same level and below~** _**Trace on**_

 **Speed has been increased by 20%**

 **Kenjutsu has been raised to a C**

 **Unlimited Blades Works has been increased to Level 4, increasing all passive-**

He was brought back by a feeling, something was out of place, it didn't belong there but he couldn't see it, a Servant. He didn't know where but he could make out a general direction that led away from the campus and into the surrounding woods. He made out something distorting the air, he was acclimating to his newly acquired senses quickly, he could make out a dagger. He was already moving, the energy was pumping, he felt faster, too fast, he overran the dagger that was heading to Rin's face…..and it landed right into his arm. The pain was excruciating, his flesh ripped open and he felt the dagger, no it was a spear, it was cold and metallic to the touch around his wrist, his body screamed in rejection of the foreign object and then…...it was gone. The pain subsided and the spear disappeared, Shirou didn't think, his body told him to advance while the enemy wasn't attacking.

"Stay there Tohsaka, I'll meet this threat." He was in the woods before she could protest, he wouldn't even know if she did, the wind rushing by his ears made it impossible to hear, he was running faster than he ever thought, it was the first time he had really gotten to move around with his new speed. He stopped to listen out for movement, he could make out footsteps but they were too loud to be a Servant's….it was a civilian, must be a student running away. He looked to the left, then to the right and turned in a circle, trying to pinpoint that feeling again. There, something was moving towards him fast, before he could react though everything slowed down to a halt, his attention was drawn unwillingly to his hands.

 **Weapon Tracing 101**

 _NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR THIS!_ He shouted to the text.

 **To trace a weapon, focus on any weapon you come across to scan it, it will then be stored for your usage.**

 **You currently have 1 saved weapon, to project a weapon simply think of your weapon collection and you will be transported here to select a weapon.**

 **Kanshou and Bakuya are currently set for use, have fun!**

He could see it happen before his very eyes, the energy in his body spilled from his fingertips, he felt like an artist as he molded the weapon from his mind into reality. He tightened his grip around the handles, the blades had weight, they were real. He looked at the approaching Servant and met her spear with his blades, a shower of sparks appeared in front of his eyes and on the second he narrowed his eyes, she was gone. His swords had deep grooves in them from contact, his hands were shaking, the force of the blow was wat stronger than he expected, but the high was amazing, his endorphins were flaring and he was on high alert. He pushed forward using his senses to gain idea of her location, lucky for him she appeared on top of a branch, her lips started to move, her guard was lowered.

 _If you're going to monologue like a dumbass,_ Shirou thought as he lept at her, surprised by the new found bounce in his step, _I'll happily take advantage._ His swords met her spear again in front of her face, he glared at her cloth-covered eyes, taking a swipe with Kanshou at the smirk on her face, but she was fast, gone from in front of him in an instant. He looked to his right in time to block her kick aimed at his face, she didn't stop, sending heavy slashes across his body that carved into the blades as he attempted to hold his block. The Servant brung the chain around and whipped it at his head, his blades were again there to meet it, the forest floor danced from the sparks of their weapons clashing. She attempted to fly by him, taking his head off along the way, but Shirou ducked and grabbed at her chain before she could dematerialize, dragging her down to the dirt. He put his full weight on her arms with his knees before going to town on her face, he rained fists down onto the Servant's face, he was stopped by a massive surge in strength from his enemy, knocking him off of her and ending the onslaught. She seemed no worse for wear, but looked visibly angry from being put in such an embarrassing position. Then, her demeanor changed, she smoothed out her outfit, taking careful consideration of her substantial bust, in fact, she had quite the body on her, her hips were well rounded into a round ass, his gaze began to tranfix on her figure, his surroundings becoming a haze.

"I'm glad I caught you, I'll be gentle with your death." her voice was low and seductive, "such a strapping young man who knows how I like to handled? Mmmmm," she licked her lips, "you would've made a great lover. Though would've become trapped in my snare all the same." She raised her right arm and pulled down at the air. Shirou felt the pain he had felt earlier return tenfold, dropping his blades in pain he felt his feet leave the ground. It felt like the spear was going to split down his wrist and separate his hand, at that point he would've wished for it if only to get a slight reprieve from the pain. He was hoisted up by his right arm, his screams filled the forest, echoing off the trees. Shirou looked up to see the Servant's spear from early back where it had once been, he looked back down to now see the Servant mere inches from his face, she stuck her tongue out to slowly trace the tip of her tongue along his cheek. It was all he needed, he thought of Bakuya and plunged the sword into the side of the her the second it reached 50% projected. He knew he would never have a chance, she had been toying with him from the start, so he decided to use that hubris against her. As he fell back to the forest floor, a volley of red orb went crashing into and around the Servant.

 _And here comes the cavalry,_ Shirou could make out Rin's silhouette in the distance, the Servant had already retreated by the time she arrived at his side. He could feel the adrenaline starting to wear down, and he could feel a smoldering under his skin, which soon turned into a wildfire as his entire body felt like it had been dropped in a deep fryer. His nerves screamed in his ears so loud he blacked out.

Shirou awoke to find himself standing in space, or on space, he couldn't really tell. In front of him he saw constellations:

 **Heaven, Earth, Human, Star, Beast**

This had to be part of the game, but it provided no context, no tutorials, no descriptions besides the name that framed it. He settled on **Human** , it made sense seeing that he was human so it would make sense to benefit him the most, but he looked at the **Star** and it drew him in. Something about it spoke to him, he selected it and was again enveloped in darkness as his subconscious slipped back into nothingness.

 **Shirou Emiya, Level 39**

 **Health: 40/100**

 **Magic: 25/100**

 **Strength: 29/100**

 **Endurance: 50/100**

 **Dexterity: 47/100**

 **Intelligence: 30/100**

 **Wisdom: 20/100**

 **Luck: 60/100**

 **Skills:**

 **Element: Sword/Sword**

 **Resistance: Magic (5%) Curse (5%)**

 **Unlimited Blade Works: Level 4 (Locked)**

 **Passive increase in Swordsmanship**

 **6% EXP increase in Sword skills progression**

 **10% EXP increase in Archery skills progression**

 **Charisma: C+**

 **Cooking: A+**

 **Cleaning: A+**

 **Zen: D-**

 **Gaia's Blessing: E**

 **Kenjutsu: C**

 **Reinforcement Magic: C**

 **Weapon Tracing: C-**

 **Time Alter: C**

 **Gun Fu: D**

 **Pankration: Level 3 (Instant Travel: 2%)**

 **Perks :**

 **Ironman**

 **Miraculous Healing**

 **Star Constellation: Locked**


	8. Hangover

**I do not own Fate content, also every skill point is a level earned.**

 **The House of Emiya**

 **You have unspent Skill Points**

 **You have gained the skill Alaya's Favor, Alaya's Favor will scale with your Level and can be leveled up through acts that benefit humanity and through fighting Servants**

 **You have lost the skill Gaia's Blessing**

Shirou looked up at the emblazoned letters that hung amongst the black void that engulfed him.

 **Alaya's Favor increases the hard and soft caps on all of your skills, you have also gained the Servant Index (interacting with Servants will increase your knowledge of them, making it easier to deduce their identities and abilities).**

 _So I can learn just by being around Saber? Win win._

 **You have gained the skill Presence Concealment (D+) you can now hide your presence against Lv. 15 or lower enemies**

 **You have unlocked Side Quests, Side Quests can be completed at your leisure to gain additional XP. Unlike Main Quests, most Side Quests can be repeated as frequently as desired with no consequences, regardless of the outcome.**

The text hadn't straight out said it, but he knew that the game expected him to fail these quests at least once. It wasn't the lack of faith that unnerved him, but the possibilities to fail these quests considering up until this point everything he did short of tying his shoes could be filed neatly between "life-threatening" and "deathly stupid".

 _Also, WHERE THE HELL AM I!_

Everything he thought reverberated across the abyss, even though his mouth didn't open, so he inferred that he was in his own subconscious to some extent. Turning from the lettering, Shirou looked around, hoping to see some sort of door to leave, just so he knew there was one. There wasn't.

 _Can I die in my mind?_

He shook the thought away, deciding to turn his attention back to the text and hope for further instruction of which the game didn't disappoint.

 **When you sleep you now have the choice to either Rest or enter this Dreamspace**

 _Dreamspace? How about Shirou-space?_

 **Let's stick with Dreamspace…..**

 _Nani?_

The text was gone as quick as it came, but it had definitely been there. Shirou looked up into nothingness.

 _Hello? Magic text genie? Don't try ducking me now, I've got questions that need answering!_

No response.

 _Ignoring someone is very rude, especially when that person is trapped in their brain._

 **In the Dreamspace, you can complete certain Side Quests that wouldn't normally appear in the outside world. When you have completed a quest or wish to resign simply state your desire to leave.**

 _I'd like to leave please._

 **Access Denied. Tutorial still in progress.**

 _Can I skip it and come back later?_

 **Entering Dreamspace does not give you the full benefits of Resting but will replenish your Health and Mana**

 _I guess not…_

 **You have unlocked the Side Quests "Thicker Than Water." Would you like to attempt this quests?**

The obvious run-around annoyed Shirou as he crossed his arms and glared at the text hoping to coax a reaction, but nothing came and the words just continued to float there.

 **Would you like to attempt this quests?**

 _*sigh* fine, let's give it a go._

 **Objective: Defeat Kiritsugu Emiya**

 **Reward: Calico, Contender, Magus Killer title, XP, ?**

 **Battle will commence in 5 seconds**

Shirou blinked hard at the words, but the lettering didn't change. So many thoughts ran through his mind, questions abound bubbled at his lips desiring answers. All were cut off immediately as a figure began to appear amongst the black canvas, blue wisps of vapor formed on what Shirou could only refer to as the 'ground' of his mind, moving up as it coalesced into solid form. His dad looked vibrant and healthy, healthier than Shirou had ever known him to be. Kiritsugu's face shone with youth, his posture supported his weight evenly, and the look of defeat that Shirou had always known lurking behind his eyes was gone, replaced with cold indifference.

 _Dad?_

The first bullet tore through Shirou's gut, the second barreled into his shoulder and knocked him off his feet and onto his butt where he lay coughing up copious amounts of blood that mixed with what was spewing from his open wounds. The questions were back and buzzing in his head, the thick layer of pain that overlapped all other sense kept him from coherently voicing his confusion. As he lay there, holding his innards from exiting his stomach wound, he could hear the click of feet against the ground, which only added to the mounting confusion. It wasn't until Shirou could see his once deceased father standing over him that he felt a cold wave of fear wash over him, the pain, the blood, the bullets burning inside him, they all felt real, was it real, was he really about to die, by the hands of his dad no less?

 _No, no, it isn't real, it isn't rea-_

The gunshot rang in his ears, then darkness, he had seen the barrel, the flash after he pulled the trigger, and the cold dead eyes that stared at him, there was no mercy in his father's eyes.

Sunlight met his eyes, he peeked through his eyelights, they were still a little too heavy to open. Eventually he willed them wide, and was fully greeted to the day. He was in his bedroom, with Saber to his-

 _Wait….._ His eyes shot to his Servant, a smirk crept onto his lips. _Now this is a way to wake up in the morning, she's gonna let me have it when I wake her though._

Her eyes flew open, emerald eyes met his, and he couldn't stop the smile that greeted her.

"Good morning, Shirou." She returned his smile warmly, a smile that slowly turned into a frown, her eyes grew stern and Shirou quickly wished he had kept his eyes shut. "I told you, it isn't safe for you as it used to be, you're a target and should be protected. What warrior would leave his house without his sword?"

"I had Rin there with me, and I got a blow in with my sword. She was too cocky, we caught her stealing the mana of a girl but she didn't fully retreat when we arrived, she stayed close enough to observe us. Rin and I got into a scuffle, I doubt a Servant wouldn't notice that, if I had let her go with knowledge of our abilities, especially if I don't get information in return, it would've been a wasted opportunity." Shirou rose from his mat so he could meet Saber's face, "It was a success Saber."

Saber rose her left eyebrow, "Oh?"

"She used a chained spear that can go intangible at her leisure, she doesn't mind killing people, and she's probably responsible for the Bounded Field around the school, Rin destroyed the circles but they returned along with new ones. She was seductive, extremely fast, and kept her eyes wrapped, which is either a cosmetic choice, or her eyes contain something she wants hidden or saved for use."

Saber soaked in the information, her chin tucked into her hand as she swam through her pool of data. "Was she a snake from the waist down?"

"Umm, no."

"Then all I have are guesses, but from the classes present to us, it would make sense for her to be of the Rider or Caster class. You wouldn't have seen an Assassin if they attacked you, a good one at least." Saber stood up from Shirou's side, smoothing the wrinkles from her skirt as she stood.

"So uh, how long were you watching over me?" As he asked he too joined Saber on his feet, albeit far more gingerly.

"As soon as Rin brought you home, a hole in your arm and dried blood on your lips. Thankfully, your injuries have again healed quite well, although from the look on your face, there are some lingering pains?"

He rolled his left shoulder around, "A little, nothing to worry about."

Saber put her hands on her hips, "I think you've lost the privilege of saying what I should worry about. The same could be said for the amount of protection you have, from now on I'll be sleeping in here."

A small smile appeared on Shirou's face, "Don't get me wrong, I don't mind but-"

"Glad to hear it, I'll move my bed in, you'll need to move over a little."

A protest arose, lingering but never escaping Shirou's lips as Saber left the room. He couldn't let her go through with this, but he needed to formulate what he was going to say, simple protest wouldn't get him out of this one. He began to put his mind to task, developing a concise arrangements of statements so convincing she wouldn't be able to protest. The idea was instantly dashed when Saber reappeared a second later, her bed in tow behind her.

"Saber, this isn't going to work, I cannot allow this." His feet were planted, he looked into her eyes, his emerald reflection looked back at him, he looked stern, certain.

She looked shocked, she looked behind her at the bed, "Are you sure? I assumed you would rather it be this way, to provide you with more comfortability."

"No, I appreciate the gesture, I do but really, it's not necessary." He sighed, the situation couldn't be going smoother, all he had to do was stay focused and factual.

"Very well, we'll share your bed." She was gone behind the door the second after, Shirou raced to the door, throwing it open with his remarks of disapproval but was met with the forehead of Sakura. Shirou came too on the ground, rubbing his head as he looked up to Sakura who stood in the doorway looking no worse for wear, yet extremely worried.

"Sempai! Are you all right? I'm so sorry, you came out so fast that I couldn't react, you know I wouldn't do something like this on purpose right?."

The muddled pool of vision gained clarity, Shirou could now see Sakura's distressed expression clear as day. He looked past Sakura and down the hall, but there was no sight of his Servant, and he definitely didn't want Sakura to catch wind of his new sleeping arrangements.

"Here let me help you." Sakura reached out to him and he took her hand gratefully. Pulling him up from the floor, Shirou felt something in his shoulder stretch and tear. The sharp incursion of pain made him recoil in response, tugging back in hopes to reconnect his shoulder and hopefully mitigate damage, but Sakura never let go, and came tumbling down to the ground on top of him. He could feel the cool touch of the wooden floor, Sakura's warmth and softness were sending his senses into overdrive, she was wearing a t shirt and pajama bottoms so Shirou could feel every curve that pressed into his skin. His chest and shoulders had been bandaged but he was for all intents and purposes topless, and Sakura soon caught onto this after regaining her bearings, looking up to meet brown eyes. Shirou looked into Sakura's eyes, a flash of something primal crept by, to which Shirou attributed to their current proximity to each other.

"Sorry, I'm not entirely healed, you pulled on my bad shoulder." He got up, making sure to help her up as well, disregarding the absurdity of how red her face was, considering he could still feel the phantom sensation of her breasts pressed against his chest, the thought of which brought a matching blush to his own face. "W-would you want to help me with breakfast today? You're cooking skills seem to improve by the day." He smiled, hoping to disarm the situation before he got attacked (again).

Sakura's blush lessened as she nodded her head with vigor, "Oh yes, I'd be happy to assist, I do have much to learn however, forgive me if my cooking doesn't meet your expectations."

He waved her dismissal away, "Nonsense, let's go see your progress." He made his way out of his room but not before grabbing a shirt from his dresser. Now he was walking down the hall, Sakura behind him a step. He could feel her staring into the back of his head but he was used to it and didn't think twice of it. "What's new with you Sakura?"

"Well between archery, school, and helping you out around the house, I keep myself pretty busy. Shinji has been acting really distant lately, more than usual, and whenever I am around him, I get this weird feeling that something just doesn't feel right, and that I've found something I've been missing. People have been saying that he and Ayako are missing, I just hope that he's alright, I know he's an acquired taste but he wouldn't hurt Ayako."

He considered what she said before replying, "As long as I've known Shinji, this entire thing will clear up and he'll be no worse for wear." He looked back over his shoulder to her, "so no need to worry, I'll go find him myself if it has to come to that, but I truly doubt it does. Give him some time, he was probably out with one of his girlfriends." He had seen the look of desperation in sakura's eyes, so desperate to be right. He respected the love Sakura had for Shinji, moreso how she showed the same compassion to others as well. It would've broken his heart to tell her Shinji might be a suspect or victim, and he figured the optimism he showed would bring good fortune. "I love how caring you are Sakura, you're like a saint. You've really grown into your own over the years and you're still growing, I know you're going to be a great woman in the near future, I'm glad to know you." He hoped the compliment would raise her spirits, an increase in morale for one could impact the entire group. He looked over his shoulder again to see that she was staring down at her feet, a blush on her face and a smile on her lips, mission success.

They made their way to the dining area, where Saber, Taiga and Rin and sat patiently, chatting amongst each other until they noticed the two new arrivals.

"Good morning Shirou! Sakura!"

"Good morning Emiya."

He returned each their greeting in kind before following Sakura into the kitchen, making sure to hear the topic of the 3 women's conversation before he disappeared completely, hoping to ensure that Saber moving into his room remained a private matter, thankfully there was no need as their subject revolved around Taiga's recent date. Shirou allowed Sakura to prepare most of the meal for today given his injury, her need for the boost in confidence, and the additional time to think.

 _This 'game' seems to have some level of sentience, enough to be a dick at least,_ he thought, rolling his eyes. _So that's something that needs to be sorted out later, along with my unspent skill points. However….._ He clenched his fists, he could feel his nails biting into flesh, _that thing that was impersonating my father, it needs to be dealt with. It wasn't him, and I can't knowingly allow something like that to exist, even if it is in my mind, if I get some loot and XP from it, even better._ There was also the matter of the Projection magic he used the other day, his Magical Circuits had never been used at such a high capacity before all at once. The only thing of comparison in his repertoire was the Time Alter, but Kiritsugu had taught him that years ago, and he had acclimated. This new magic was something else, and his body was paying for it, but the way the game introduced it it seemed to be a fairly important concept. The materialization of blades at hs whim sounded fantastic, but he needed an area to practice when he was fully recovered.

 _If I can pull off that technique in the Dreamspace, I could knock out two birds with one stone._ There was much to do and they hadn't even eaten yet, Shirou knew he was in for a long day, but it looked to be quite full, and hopefully he could sit down with Saber, Rin, and her Servant and talk about the details of their war plan.

 **Shirou Emiya, Level 39**

 **Health: 40/100**

 **Magic: 25/100**

 **Strength: 29/100**

 **Endurance: 50/100**

 **Dexterity: 47/100**

 **Intelligence: 30/100**

 **Wisdom: 20/100**

 **Luck: 60/100**

 **Skills:**

 **Element: Sword/Sword**

 **Resistance: Magic (5%) Curse (5%)**

 **Unlimited Blade Works: Level 4 (Locked)**

 **Passive increase in Swordsmanship**

 **6% EXP increase in Sword skills progression**

 **10% EXP increase in Archery skills progression**

 **Charisma: C+**

 **Cooking: A+**

 **Cleaning: A+**

 **Zen: D-**

 **Gaia's Blessing: E**

 **Kenjutsu: C**

 **Reinforcement Magic: C**

 **Weapon Tracing: C-**

 **Time Alter: C**

 **Gun Fu: D**

 **Pankration: Level 3 (Instant Travel: 2%)**

 **Perks :**

 **Ironman**

 **Miraculous Healing**

 **Star Constellation: Locked**


	9. R&R

**Fate/Stay Night and UBW are the property of Kinoko Nasu, UFOtable, Type-Moon, and Aniplex**

 **Thanks for all the support, I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far. Of course, this story is for you and I read and listen to all suggestions made, I'm always looking for new ideas, also sorry for the increase in grammar problems (I tried writing a couple chapters at 3 am, never again.)**

 **R &R**

Shirou followed behind Sakura back into the dining area, she had definitely outdone herself with the breakfast she prepared. Natto, Oyakodon, white rice, fried egg, tofu, and miso soup, the combination of smell greeted his nostrils in blissful unity. She had even prepared to go further, but the increased persistence of Taiga spurred the two to bring the meal out with more haste, Shirou wouldn't want to be a bad host after all.

Taiga immediately towered over the assemblage of mouth watering morsels, her eyes gleamed like that of a predator about to pounce on her prey, and Shirou had no doubt that given the word, there would be no food left for the rest of them after she was done. He didn't bother trying to get her seated and instead went about arranging the food to allow access to the other four attendees.

 _Honestly, I can't blame her, my stomach feels like it's ready to eat itself and these smells aren't doing me any favors. God, just try not to drool over the food Shirou, stay focused._ The meal was finally set, he, Sakura, and Taiga had taken their places at the table.

"Ooooohhhhh Sakuraa, all of this looks delicious! I knew you were improving but you have outdone yourself tenfold! I wouldn't mind if you starting preparing meals more often, of course there's nothing wrong with your food Shirou, but a different perspective is always healthy for the tastebuds." Taiga continued to sing Sakura's praises as Shirou pondered over the possibility of health component of taste buds.

Sakura's face was one of confusion and doubt, "You think so? I feel like I could've done better, it doesn't smell as good as I had hoped, maybe the taste will make up for it."

"As a first hand witness to your preparation of this meal, I have to say you have vast potential Sakura, you'll be a greater cook than me soon enough." Shirou's smile was wide and genuine, so wide that he had to close his eyes which disabled him from seeing the peculiar look Rin was giving Sakura.

"Oh please, stop. Let's just enjoy the meal."

Taiga didn't think twice of Sakura's invitation, and was first to get herself a portion of each section of food. From there they went clockwise until everyone had filled their plates with food.

"Itadakimasu" they all said in unison, thanking Sakura for the meal they were about to receive. She accepted their thanks with a slight nod of her head before taking a small sample bite of chicken, the flavors invading her mouth as she closed her eyes in blissful contempt, the others quickly followed suit. Shirou couldn't suppress a small smile at Saber's expression, he assumed that wherever she came from didn't have food, or at least, food that wasn't as good. That reminded him, he still hadn't gotten a chance to talk to Saber about…...well, who the hell she really was, he knew that saber was her class but definitely not her actual name. Rin still called her Servant by his class, but Illya was easily forthcoming with her own Servant's name, although she probably assumed they wouldn't live past the night.

 _Illya…._ He hadn't had a chance to formulate even an idea on where to start on finding his sister, personally wanted to do so in haste as to not risk the chance of another ambush. _Rin has a good knowledge of magical families and Sakura is also a member of one of those families,_ he looked between the two quickly, he suddenly felt slightly at unease. While Saber was at his side, their were two Magi at his table, one of which is extremely capable and while Sakura was a relative unknown, he wasn't sure if that comforted him or made him feel worse. Taiga was a good friend of his, but as of late, she and Sakura had become increasingly close as he became more and more preoccupied with his training and experiments, so it was entirely within the realm of possibility that he was surrounded by conspirators, all with their own motives for wanting to take him down. He looked around the table, at the smiles the women shared as they ate and laughed. He looked at Saber who was engrossed in a story that Rin was telling, she didn't seem bothered by their inclusion to his home. He smiled again and shook his head, _It's probably not healthy for a teen to be nearly killed so frequently in such a short span of time, physically or mentally. I shouldn't let paranoia ruin the relationships that I've built with them._

"Emiya?"

He snapped back to reality, "Huh? What? What's going on?"

"Welcome back to Earth, Emiya, I can only wonder what was going through your head to put you in such a daze." Rin smirked mischievously, a smirk that Shirou knew couldn't lead to anything good, for him at least.

"Was there a question that you wanted to ask me? I'm sorry I hadn't heard anything up until my name," he replied slowly, he threw innocence in his diction, hoping to counteract Rin's previous suggestion with a choirboy-esque stance on her assumption. Either it worked like a charm or Rin lost interest, both worked great for him personally.

"It wasn't me that was asking the question, Taiga wanted to know when you were going to let the rest of the Archery club know of your return, you know…..considering we've been training you so vigorously for the past couple of days, you would have to tell them eventually." It took Shirou a moment to catch on, he almost blew by asking what she was talking about. He should've figured that Taiga would do a follow-up on the progress of his "return", especially considering how good he was before he left.

"Well, my technique has gotten a bit sloppy, and while I'm sure they would be happy just to see me in there with them practicing, I want to make sure that the rust hasn't permanently affected my mechanics." He looked at Taiga to see if she bought ti, which thankfully seemed to be the case, he looked over to Sakura who was visibly crestfallen.

 _I bet she was excited to hear that I was returning to the club, I wonder if she already told the others._ He turned his attention fully to his lavender haired friend, "However…", Sakura noticed him speaking directly to her and looked up, her soft purple eyes held a hint of sadness and then hope when he addressed her. "There's no such thing as too much practice, and considering Sakura's been working hard at her own bow skills, I was wondering if you would mind helping me out."

Sakura looked shocked at first, but the prolonged eye contact along with everyone at the table awaiting her answer made her drop her head slightly. "Really Sempai? You want me to train you? I can think of a couple girls that would be more suitable for helping you get back to form." She was now poking her index fingers together tentatively. Shirou was about to protest her doubts but Rin beat him to it, placing both her palms flat on the table, her reply came quick as a whip.

"Stop it!" She was clearly agitated and her tone matched her mood, "If you continue to doubt your abilities, you'll only hinder yourself. There's modesty and then there's what you're doing, take a little pride in yourself." Sakura was caught aback with her sudden outburst, Rin stopped to get a breathe, clearing her throat before speaking again, "I'm sure Shirou would agree that it would benefit the both of you if he had a training partner that didn't constantly second guess themselves."

"U-uh, yeah, you might think there's someone better in the club, but I know that there's no one I'd rather have working with me."

Her face flushed a bright red as she took in the words, Shirou looked over to Rin who immediately crossed her arms and threw her head to side when their eyes met. He shrugged his shoulders and went back to enjoying his meal, apparently Saber shared the same sentiment and followed suit. Eventually everyone at the table went back to eating their food, all feeling much better about the day than they started. Shirou washed the dishes afterwards, Rin, Sakura, and Taiga went out to look for something that had to do with cats… he wasn't paying much attention when they half-rush explained it going out the door. After all the dishes were done he made his way out of the dining room, going down the hall and into the dojo. As expected, his blonde haired Servant sat meditating in the centre, the perfect image of tranquility. He dared not disturb her zen, at least no more than he already was. He closed his eyes, letting his senses and a mental image draw him to an open spot to her right, he couldn't have resisted those emerald eyes pulling him in. He found his place, and sat down at her side, he assumed a meditative stance, crossing and then tucking his feet underneath himself as he sat, then he placed one hand over the over into his lap, connecting together at the thumbs. He sat for what felt like hours, he was overtaken by boredom, soul crushing boredom, his head was starting to hurt. He peeked one eye open to see if Saber had moved…...not even a muscle, his eye peeked something else too.

 **You are a master of zen, your increased focus has increased your Reinforcement skill**

 **You can now Reinforce the strength of weapons you are armed with exponentially.**

 _Interesting, that'll come in handy against Servants. All of these abilities the game is giving me, I should start looking into making some of my own._ The thought pleased him, he was dedicated to his craft and he wanted to show it. He would have to do his homework, a lot of natural sites of Mystery had gone with the dawn of science, so gaining powers through phenomena was unlikely. Perhaps praying to some higher being, or gaining some modicum of divine knowledge could help him.

 **You have unlocked the Side Quest: Trump Card**

 **Objective: Call on a power greater than yourself**

 _Least it'll be easier to remember._

"Was there something you wanted to ask me Master?"

He snapped back to the dojo, he had been staring into space and had caught the attention of a certain blonde.

"Actually, yes. There should be full transparency in our partnership." It was about time he had more than just hunches about his Servant.

"Of course, forgive me, you should at the least know my true name. I am Artoria Pendragon, King of Knights, leader of the Knights of the Round Table and King of Britain." She nodded her head at him in respect. "We Servants are Heroic Spirits, but that fame has a price. Revealing our true identities also reveals all of our vulnerabilities."

"So we should continue to address you as Saber, to hide your real name from enemies.."

"I agree."

"So wait, Artoria? So the legend of King Arthur was actually a woman in disguise huh? That's kinda funny."

"Yes, during my reign as King I hid my gender from those I ruled, I even wed myself a wife to keep up appearances. Only a trusted few of my closest confidantes ever knew the truth, does this bother you?"

"Oh no of course not, gender has nothing to do with your titles and accomplishments. That would explain your mastery of the sword, and your formal quirks. Well it's nice to finally be fully acquainted Artoria. That only leaves me with one question, what could you possibly want from the Holy Grail, you had fame, riches, a kingdom, a fine rule, what more could you want that it would draw you this strongly?"

The Servant seemed to drift off into space as she chuckled under her breath, and talked so softly that Shirou could only read her lips, "Such a fine rule wasn't it?"

"Um, Saber?"

Saber looked down at her lap with a disgruntled look on her face, "My wish, is to redo the selection of king, I do not wish to draw that sword from the stone."

Shirou looked dumbfounded, but he straightened it before he spoke again, "I understand." He ignored the look she gave him and continued. "I don't know why you would want to do such a thing, but I wouldn't dare intrude on such a personal matter. I do understand what it feels to have regrets, so your wish is relatable to me, it doesn't change the fact that our combined strength with ensure us the Holy Grail."

Saber looked owlishly at him, eventually her features softened, and a smile rose on her lips. "Thank you for being so courteous Shirou. Now if you

"It's no problem at all, I am in no position to judge. Anyways, would you be interested in a trip? I'm looking for sites in Japan where I can learn to harness large amounts of power to utilize in an attack, not unlike the Noble Phantasm of a Servant."

Saber propped her head on her cheek and her elbow to her knee. "You would need crystallized Mystery to accomplish such a task, we could find that on other Servants in their Noble Phantasms, or perhaps naturally, but that's doubtful. So if we happen to take down a Servant and they are not immediately killed, you could have a slim opportunity, but they would have to have their Noble Phantasm out and you would need a method of extracting pure Mystery and transfering that power to yourself. However, such power is likely to rip you apart, I would advise against it considering your current strength. No offense."

Her chuckled, "None taken, let me worry about how to get it working, more prevalent is how we could hope to perform an extraction on a still living Servant, such a task seems impossible." Shirou ran his hand through his muted red hair, finally he sighed in defeat. "I guess I'll put that on the backburner for now. Well then, we should strategize our next move, we should always be 10 steps ahead of the enemy."

The Servant nodded "Indeed, well in that case..." From behind her she produced a large rolled up piece of paper, laying it down and unrolling it revealing that it was in fact a map of Fuyuki. "We know that there is a Servant occupying the school and the area around it."

"Also, I've heard of a large amount of coma patients recently around this area, Rin and I are going to go investigate later. Yes, that includes you." He could see Saber beginning to protest, at mention of her inclusion though, she sat back complacently.

"Do you think you are capable of fighting efficiently in your current condition?"

Shirou waved her off, "Don't even worry about it, I'm feeling better by the minute, at this rate, I'll be 100% by the time we head out." He smiled reassuringly at his Servant.

"If you are certain, then I have no doubt in your word Master."

He sighed and shook his head, _Seriously can't wait until she stops calling me that, it's messing with my ego. What's so wrong with Shirou anyway?_

 **King of Knights discovered! Increased knowledge of your Servant has applied additional Status', these effects will not be unlocked until previous undefined conditions are met.**

 **Star constellation is moving. Your constellation will attach itself to you in some way, augmenting that part. Keep an eye to the sky to see what the heavens bless you with.**

Taking a moment to look back at Saber, Shirou realized that he was now alone in the room. Considering he was looking off into space, he couldn't fault her for leaving.

 _Arturia….._ He should take some time to actually get to know her, as Arturia and not Saber. He got up and was out the door, he eventually found her in front of his workshop, standing in the middle of a courtyard. It had been almost a week since he had used it and he now felt almost like he was neglecting his side craft. Saber was looking at the various vegetation he had planted around the small red building, he walked over to her and looked at what Saber was observing. He stood in shock over his plants, the various ingredients he used for his potions, they were dying. The once bright colors of health was now rotting and wilting into the dirt, some had already reached compost.

Saber looked at him, "A magical presence is leeching the life from your garden."

He placed a hand on his chin, "My garden is very amateurish, so I'm sure anybody with decent Magus skills could pull off this feat, the question is is it targeted, or widespread? The difference in power for the later over the former would suggest a Servant is responsible, most likely the Caster. This isn't good, not good at all, now I only have three healing potions, and two mana potions to work with. I was kind of hoping I could produce them in bulk and just blitz everyone we went against, but now we've only got the slightest of advantages. What a waste." He shook his head in disappointment, then turned back to his Servant. "Hey, Saber."

"Yes, Master?" He furrowed his brow for a moment, he could've sworn he remembered her calling him 'Shirou' before, women are so difficult.

"You haven't really gotten out much, I was thinking I could take you into town, let you see the world as it is now, plus you can get a lay of the land."

"Hmmm, that sounds like a great idea, I shall fetch the rain coat." She made to wherever her coat was before Shirou stopped her.

"Actually, it would be better if you wore civilian clothes, a woman walking through town in armor with an invisible sword isn't good for the elderly's health. Could you put up some illusion over your armor?"

"I can call on the armor at my leisure, I am willing to accept your terms, but the moment an enemy is within my sight, all bets are off." She crossed her arms to punctuate the statement.

He smiled at her, chuckling lightly, "Alright then, let's get moving."

The two made their way from the house and into town, children played in the playground they walked by, the sun hung high in the sky, a cool breeze pushed fallen leaves across the pavement at their feet.

Shirou looked over at the kids, remembering those days fondly. He then turned to his Servant, who had surprised him with her keen sense of fashion. He expected her to come outside wearing something from her era but the white jacket, the blue scarf that matched her skirt, though she still kept quite modest by wearing leggings underneath, it was definitely a complementing outfit. "So….what have you been up to while I've been away?"

"I've been keeping busy by cleaning, since the house is so big however, it has proven to be a tough endeavour."

"Sorry about that, you really didn't have to do that, I owe you big time." He didn't think the term 'Servant' was so literal.

"It was nothing, I'm happy to assist however I can, although my forte is more in being a knight than a maid." She added.

"I get it, i get it, no more solo galavanting, trust me your skills will not go to waste. By the way, while we're out I should grab some groceries."

Saber replied with vigor, "You can count on me to carry them home!" He couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm.

Saber stopped in her tracks, noticing a bakery shop filled with an assortment of pastries, the smells coming from the store were to potent, they were out of the store before he realized what had happened, but his wallet was definitely lighter, damn his sweet tooth.

"I couldn't resist, they just caught my eye." Saber said, her mouth slightly full with pastry.

He waved her off, his eyes were closed as he enjoyed the sweet explosion of flavors in his mouth. "Ahh it's fine, it shouldn't spoil your appetite for dinner. Speaking of which how does salmon sound?"

"Delicious, as is everything you cook."

"Well Taiga always told me the quickest way to a woman's heart is through her stomach."

Saber looked at him puzzlingly, "Has the anatomy of humanity changed since my day? Or are you merely suggesting that food is a good tool in killing one's enemy if they are of the opposite sex. I would assume men would be just as, if not more susceptible to coercion through food, but I'm sure you know best."

"I think you're taking it a little to literally, I meant heart in a romantic sense, with the stomach representing food. How do you know other sayings but not that one?" His Servant did nothing more than shrug her shoulders before going back to finishing her treat, he didn't bother pushing the subject. "If you don't mind me asking….how much of your story has history gotten accurate?"

"I would say they gave the legend of King Arthur the respect I deserve, and they stayed pretty accurate to the path Inat I took, so I can't complain." Saber shrugged nonchalantly again along with her response.

"So Merlin, the dragon, the sword in the stone…."

"More or less right, everything about a Heroic Spirit comes from the legends we left behind, everything from our armory to our bodies and personalities are exact replicas of the individuals we derive them from, . The Grail does however have a habit of sometimes eschewing historical facts to fit its needs, for example, Hercules is now a black skinned rage monster." A small child walking by looked up at Shirou like he had grown a second head, probably overheard their conversation. The boy moved along and Shirou couldn't help a small laugh from the awkward situation.

"I was wondering what was up with that, the books always made him out as more…"

"Heroic?"

"Well I was going to say sane, but that works too."

The duo continued on there walk for a while longer, making sure to point out areas of interest and landmarks for Saber if she needed to get around the city without him. Their stroll around town eventually brought them to a large rectangular building, it seemed to be a workplace of some capacity. The day had by now left them and the night sky was introducing them to the stars in the sky, although Shirou couldn't make out any constellations that looked out of place.

He turned to face his Servant, "This is where we're meeting Rin and Archer, I guess we're a little early."

"A little late is more accurate Emiya." Before Shirou heard the second word, Saber was in between him and Rin, although she let up her guard when she realized the identity of the voice. Rin looked over Saber carefully, "Offer still stands if you're interested."

Saber turned to Shirou, "What offer does she speak of?"

"She wants to trade Servants, she even added money to make it a 'fair trade', obviously I declined."

Rin's Servant, Archer, materialized by his Master, an upset look on his face, "I lose more and more faith in you by the day."

Rin looked on contently, a coy smile on her face, "As it should be."

"Were you really considering trading me to the boy?" Archer looked down at Shirou with contempt, which Shirou gave back in earnest. "At least I wouldn't have to carry him for long, your survival up to this point has been nothing short of miraculous, I don't expect it to last."

"I actually want you less than your master does. Your technically 0-3 versus Servants so far, yes I'm counting the Lancer fight because he had you looking scared shitless, and you don't want any problems from Saber here, although it would probably be a waste of mana." Shirou could feel a hot ball of anger growing in his stomach, something about this guy just got under his skin, badly.

"Maybe I should start what Lancer finished." Apparently, Shirou's remarks gave Archer the same feeling.

"Probably too slow with that too tight shirt on, Saber came dressed to fight, you came dressed to jumpstart your modeling career. Are you wearing half a skirt or half a cape? I bet that's not even your real hair color. "

"Enough!" Rin and Saber yelled in unison, they looked at each other, with Saber giving Rin the nod to proceed. "If you two are done, we're here to actually do something. If you want, we can keep you seperated like children."

Shirou looked from Rin, then glared at Archer before walking towards the door, opening it. "Allow me."

Rin admired Shirou's maturity and she showed it, giving him a smile that said 'Thanks for not being an ass.' Rin and the two Servants walked across the threshold, although Shirou made sure to go through before Archer, leaving him to catch the door that was now heading for his face.

He of course caught it, looking at the redhead in front of him, "Real classy."

Shirou stopped in his tracks, looking ahead to see the two women walking towards the staircase, he stopped until Archer caught up so he would be mid stride with him. The Servant looked amusingly at him, Shirou seethed behind his calm facade.

"Are you really planning on letting me kill you?"

"First off, wouldn't be that easy. Secondly, I was wondering how you came to acquire those swords you use."

Archer raised an eyebrow at the question, "What business is it of yours?"

"For now, none." Shirou didn't need to ask anything further, all he really wanted to know was how Archer would react. The Servant was hiding something, and with their current footing even if Archer told him the truth he probably wouldn't believe it.

They finally caught up with Saber and Rin and proceeded to the 6th level of the building, along the way they came across skeletons. These were skeletons reminded Shirou of dogs, but the structure was all off, those along with a few oversized crocodiles made up the opposing forces. Much to his disappointment however, none of them registered over **Level 10** , they were nothing but fodder as he and Rin tore threw them. He didn't bother producing a sword, instead using his pankration to literally dismantle them, attacking parts of the skeletal form that supported the most weight, making them crumple in a heap on the ground. Rin was courteous enough to obliterate them after he broke the skeletons down. The two Servants looked on with pride as their Masters stomped threw the opposition. Once most of the enemies had been dealt with and the stragglers retreated into the vents, the foursome began again walking down the hallway until Rin stopped them in front of an open door that led into a workplace area. The room itself was filled with a pinkish haze that glowed against the rows of computer screens, Shirou considered it a safer bet to observe as far from that fog as possible, just to be safe.

Rin peeked around the room, covering her hand with her mouth, "What kind of incense is this?"

"A witch's ointment, most likely." Archer replied. "From what I know, it's apparently supposed to destroy love entirely."

"Sounds like a vindictive woman, are there any female workers in there?" Shirou asked from the back of the group.

Archer craned his neck to look around the room, before turning to Rin and shaking his head. She turned to her fellow Master, "Doesn't look like it."

"Whatever her beef with men are, it must be some grudge to either make her a Servant or at the very least, concoct such potions and using them even after becoming one." As he was deducing the motives of this 'witch', Rin made to open a window, venting out the toxin and allowing the rest to cross into the room, bodies littered the floor, the faces of the men were blank, expressionless shells.

Rin insisted that they call the ambulance at once, while the three of them were to meet her at the top of the building after she made the call.

"You think she's at Ryudou Temple?" Shirou asked.

"Yes, the stolen life force is all flowing towards the mountains, if I had to guess I'd say that it was the Caster Servant."

Archer leaned against the industrial fan atop the building, "A witch hiding out in a temple eh? Do you think she observed our battle with Berserker?"

Saber joined into the conversation to add in, "If she did, we may have shown her some of our abilities and our truce for free."

Rin turned from the Servants, instead choosing to look over the city, it was a quiet night, yet you could still feel the life flowing through it even as most of its populace slept, unaware of the growing threat. "Perhaps."

Shirou stepped out from the shadow he was occupying, "Are we doing a witch hunt?"

Rin let a smirk form on her lips, "Damn right."

Archer groaned, "You won't be satisfied until you pick a fight will you?"

Her smirk grew into a full blown smile, "Damn right!"

 **Shirou Emiya, Level 39**

 **Health: 40/100**

 **Magic: 25/100**

 **Strength: 29/100**

 **Endurance: 50/100**

 **Dexterity: 47/100**

 **Intelligence: 30/100**

 **Wisdom: 20/100**

 **Luck: 60/100**

 **Skills:**

 **Element: Sword/Sword**

 **Resistance: Magic (5%) Curse (5%)**

 **Unlimited Blade Works: Level 4 (Locked)**

 **Passive increase in Swordsmanship**

 **6% EXP increase in Sword skills progression**

 **10% EXP increase in Archery skills progression**

 **Charisma: C+**

 **Cooking: A+**

 **Cleaning: A+**

 **Zen: D-**

 **Alaya's Favor: 0%**

 **Kenjutsu: C**

 **Reinforcement Magic: C+**

 **Weapon Tracing: C-**

 **Time Alter: C**

 **Gun Fu: D**

 **Pankration: Level 3 (Instant Travel: 2%)**

 **Presence Concealment: D+**

 **Perks :**

 **Ironman**

 **Miraculous Healing**

 **Star Constellation: Locked**


	10. Seeing Double

**I do not own any of the Fate series, the following is a non-profit fan-based parody. The Fate series is the property of Konoki NAsu, UFOTABLE, Type Moon, and Aniplex. Please support the official release.**

 **Sorry about the lack of action in the past couple of chapters, but I gotta world build ya know? Thank you all for the support.**

 **Seeing Double**

After Rin's declaration of war against the enemy Caster, the two Masters' said their goodbye's and left to their respective households. The walk back home was largely uneventful, he and Saber didn't say much to each other, Shirou didn't want to force conversation and he was too preoccupied with his own machinations. This war had proven to be much more than he had expected and not a single Servant had been defeated yet. There were so many questions that he still needed answered, and his list of **Quests** was growing by the day, the potential XP made him salivate, he could only imagine the type of abilities he would unlock when he knocked out even half of the assignments. When they returned to the estate, Shirou made it known to Saber that he would be in the workshop, she accepted it and went on her way to what Shirou assumed was their room.

' _Their' room….that's gonna take some getting used too._

Shirou entered into the shed where his collection of tools lay scattered in a corner, with his now abandoned potion station sitting dry across the room from them. He sat down on the ground in front of a piece of wood he had left behind from building his station, picking it up he rolled the cool wood around in his hands. He closed his eyes so that all that was known to him was himself, his energy, and the oversized stick in his hands. The flow of his energy coursed up his body, through his arms, he imagined the wood as nothing more than an extension of himself that had yet to be activated.

"Trace on." The darkness dissipated, replaced with bright green lines running where his arms would be, up to where the square plank would be. He opened his eyes, the room was now illuminated in the shining green glow of his mana, Shirou's amazement was switched to panic as the wood glowed brighter and brighter, before cracking and finally exploding into fragments around the room.

"Whew, could've lost an eye there." He went to pick up a rock before being interrupted by a voice from the door.

"Master?" Saber stood in the doorway.

"Oh hey, is there something I can help with?"

"No, it's just that I sensed mana. Are you training?"

Shirou looked down at the rock in his hand, "Yeah, I try to do this every day, but as you know I've been neglecting it."

"May I enter and join you?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "I don't see a problem with that."

"This is the first time I've seen you use magic, even tonight you utilized only hand-to-hand combat, which was quite impressive I might add," a smile graced her face, "you're quite the quick study."

"Pays to have a great teacher. I'm capable of using projection magic along with reinforcement, but I'm still feeling the effects of creating only two swords and my reinforcing is shoddy at the moment."

Saber held a quizzical look on her face, "Curious, so I'm guessing reinforcement goes as implied."

He nodded his head, "Correct, along with increasing effectiveness, an object toughness is increased as well, so anything I reinforce will work better than it normally does for much longer….if I can stop it from exploding."

"I see." Shirou now realized the proximity that she was to him, he could smell the faint sweet smell that she emitted. His face immediately raised a few dozen degrees, her eyes shone with viridity and he had her undivided attention.

He cleared his throat, "Ummm, it's better to show than to tell. I'll try it on this rock." He raised the rock in his hands for Saber to see. "Trace on." The green lines again appeared on his arms before making it to the rock. He gritted his teeth, "Tracing basic structure, tracing component materials, altering fundamental structure, now...strengthening component materials…" His arm started to shake on it's own and the lines were now flashing red, it was only moments before the rock split in two in his hands. "Damn it, another bust."

"Shirou, recently I have sensed that your concentration has been lacking." Shirou gulped, trying his best to avoid looking at her slim figure, her soft lips, but her eyes and her face did no favors for him.

He slowed his breathing, praying that the intense heat he felt didn't make him sweat, "I'm sorry, it's just that I'm not used to the amount of attention I'm receiving, especially from a woman like you, although I appreciate you calling me Shirou, I hope it sticks."

"I see," Saber rose to her feet, "my being here is a distraction for you. Please try not to push yourself too hard, Shirou." She smirked at the mention of his name, one that he returned.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything….." Saber spun around to face the intruder, but Shirou didn't bother, he already knew the voice to be Archer's.

Saber stepped toward the Servant and in between Archer and him, "What do you want Archer, I was under the impression that we had a truce, or have you and the Tohsaka girl had a change of heart?"

Shirou smiled, "Don't worry Saber he's not here to fight, the guy isn't an idiot and Rin wouldn't betray us, at least not while she thinks she can get you switch doesn't answer why you're here though, you don't seem to be the visiting type. So, to what do we owe the pleasure?"

"You have no sensation in the top half of your body, and your center of gravity is 7 cm off, am I right? I might be of some assistance." Saber turned to Shirou, eyes awaiting his answer.

Shirou narrowed his eyes at Archer, he hadn't told anybody the full extent of his condition, "Alright."

Saber let Archer pass taking to stand over the two as Archer worked, he instructed Shirou to remove his shirt and face away from him. Once that was done, Archer placed a hand on his back, prodding and pushing on various areas, some eliciting pained responses from the redhead.

"I guess Rin was right, you've been doing projection magic haven't you? You're a lucky man, I was expecting much worse, what made you try projection magic in the midst of a fight?"

Shirou responded through gritted teeth, "I was protecting a student from a Servat, as I'm sure Rin informed you. How lucky am I?"

"Necrosis, but it would seem that dormant circuits you never used were opened when you projected. The numbness will go away, it's only the byproduct of flooding unused circuits with mana at full power, putting them into a state of intense shock. At least those circuits are now active, just have to give it a little nudge and….." Shirou felt a surge of mana shoot through him, he winced in pain as a response. "That should do it, you'll recover in a few days at which point you'll be a slightly better mage than you were before, although that's not saying much." He got up and made his way to door to leave.

"You certainly know a lot about my condition." Shirou asked.

Archer stopped, "I went through something similar, I lost the complete use of one of my arms at the time."

"I can imagine." He and Archer locked eyes for a moment, in that moment, Shirou could tell that the things keeping them opposed were ingrained, it was almost natural, but there was something else as well. "Let me ask this, what do you fight for?"

Archer turned to face him, "I fight for myself and nothing more. I have no qualms with those that fight for the sake of others though, as long as it is their wish. Know that if you fight of your own free will, any outcomes are of your making. Fighting for your ideals will only save your ideals, but only that, you'll be useless in helping people."

 **Flames engulfed him, the echoing screams of the burned rang in his ears, he could smell burning flesh.**

"Tell that to the girl we saved," Shirou retorted, "I guess Rin told you about my reason for fighting, but what she didn't tell you was after she educated me, I didn't give up on my wish, no now I know that I was right. The world needs saving, it needs people who are willing to help, and I'll use that wish to save everybody I can. "

"One day she will die, the girl, or at the very least be in danger, as is life. Living by your ideals will only lead to your own destruction. You're fighting against the very force of nature, humanity is bound to its own destruction, and trying to save them will lead nowhere." With that, he was gone, disappearing like smoke in the wind. While the entire encounter raised all kinds of alarms on his weirdo-meter, Shirou was nonetheless grateful for Archer's aid. The pain in his arm was subsiding, and after Saber left and a couple hours of projection training he fell asleep right there on the floor of his workshop. He slept blissfully, although his dreams were definitely different, he say an ocean, a man walking through the desert, he saw the street leading to his house, and the road that led to the Temple, a ship loaded with golden treasures, and a dagger covered in blood.

He awoke to a courtyard, the night air blew cooly across his face, "Where am I? Is this...Ryudou Temple?"

"How very observant." A black fog emerged in front of him, swirling on the ground and emitting a dark purple hue, a red flash blinded him and when he regained his sight a woman stood before him. He couldn't make out about her threw the dark robe she wore nor the hood that covered the top half of her face.

"Have we met before?"

"No." He peeked a little purple hair, but her reply affirmed that it wasn't the Servant he fought at the school in a different outfit. "I'm sure you've already noticed the predicament you're in." Shirou could feel wires wrapped around his neck and see the ones wrapped around his limbs, he was indeed, royally fucked. "Don't bother struggling, once my spell is in effect it can't be washed away by the simple water of mana. Especially by the flow from magic circuits as feeble as yours."

Shirou raised an eyebrow at the insult, "I don't know, I might surprise you, you're lackeys already found out that I don't need magic to kick ass."

"No, just the aid of two Servants and another Master, face it, you're undoubtedly the weakest Master of the bunch, shown by how easily I summoned you here."

"You are not going to start that, you got me while I was sleeping, I'm also having… performance issues right now, that's the only reason you got caught me." He looked down at the wires, around at the temple, then back to the Servant. "I assume you've gotten yourself situated, it's the only reason you would be this bold, considering as a Caster you're probably the weakest Servant, at least weaker than mine."

"We'll see how much bark you have after I drain you dry, I killed the first couple of humans but now I believe I've found the perfect amount, not too much, not too less." Her smile was sinister, and her words were laced with malice but never stopped being soft and sweet, almost seductive.

"Are you…...propositioning yourself to me? I'll have to pass, murdering scum aren't my type. The blood of civilians is on your hands, and for that I can't allow you live, but I'm feeling generous so I'll allow you surrender now while I'll let you."

"Enough of your prattle, everyone in this city belongs to me, including you." The wires tightened, anymore and he was sure they would draw blood, although he felt that she had much worse in mind for him. Caster walked towards him until they stood face to face, she leaned in until her mouth was by his ear, "Now let's get those Command Seals off." She whispered as she ran her hands up and down his arm, moving up to caress his face.

"I kind of need those." He growled.

"Oh but my Master will prove to be much better suited to command Saber, she's much better suited for dealing with Berserker. By the way, I'm going to have to strip the magical circuits in your arm." She positioned the strings to force his left arm out in front of him, Caster placed her hand over his Command Seals, then a bright purple light appeared where they touched. "Please, I love it when they fight back." Shirou could suddenly feel a searing hot pain run threw his arm, it was like every nerve was being flayed at once, he couldn't hold back the screams until his throat went hoarse.

 _This is it huh? Killed by a witch, about how my luck goes I guess._ A barrage of red arrows stopped his thoughts, along with Caster's magic as she had to jump back as the flurry landed where she had once been standing.

 **Archer's Bow traced and saved**

"You're still alive? Maybe I should come back later." Shirou could recognized that assholish remark anywhere.

"No, please stay, I take back everything I ever said about you, you're outfit is totally badass, I might go out and buy one myself in fact." Shirou didn't waste any breathe, saying the sentence in a single gulp of air.

Archer smirked, "Easy there, you're breathe is bad enough without the ass kissing. How are you feeling, my arrows should have severed her strings." Shirou moved his arm and it did in fact move of his own volition, and the first thing he did was check was breathe, no point in taking the chance if Saber or Rin showed up. "Good, now if you would kindly not make any dumb movements you might make it out alive."

"How, why are you here?! What the hell is Assassin doing?" Caster growled in fury.

Archer turned to Shirou, "Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn, and I'm sure she wouldn't mind taking out her frustrations on you. The mess would be a pain to get out of my clothes."

Deciding to take advantage of the momentary reprieve, Shirou used it to stretch. "Sounds about right. I didn't expect someone else to form an alliance, you did mention an Assassin Servant after all."

The Caster's laugh rang throughout the Temple, "Me, working with that dog? He's nothing more than a Masterless pawn. As a mage I figured it only fair that I'm afforded the same protection as that redhead cowering behind you."

"Psssh, cheater. It explains the need to siphon energy from an entire city though." Shirou said. "So why is Assassin out there and not protecting her?"

"He's currently engaged in battle with Saber." Archer replied.

"No matter, I have no need for him, in here you can't touch me." She exuded confidence, it put Shirou on guard, he knew she had much more tricks up her sleeve.

Shirou didn't feel fear, no, he relished the challenge in front of him and he wouldn't let it go to waste. He rushed ahead of Archer, sure his arms were still sore but his legs still worked perfectly fine. He was on her in seconds and Archer, as he figured, jumped into action when he saw Shirou move ahead. Archer still reached her first and was behind her before Caster could materialize a weapon, Shirou was airborne, coming down with a leg drop onto Caster's head as Archer drove his twin swords into her back. She crumpled to the ground without a fight, it was too easy to Shirou, who's suspicion was confirmed when she disappeared in a dark cloud of smoke.

"A nice try men" Shirou felt the incoming mana before he could locate the Servant, the purple beam landed at his feet in an inferno, and Shirou was sure his legs would've been blown off if he hadn't jumped. There was another problem, he was now midair with another attack coming his way, the way Shirou had to contort his body to avoid the next strike strained his body to it's limit and even then he felt his back get scorched by Caster's mana. Shirou didn't waste any time, run along the pillars around the courtyard for cover, moving to one after the other one as Caster's attack proved relentless.

 _Not good, not good, not good!_ Shirou thought as he dove through a nearby door, he closed the door behind him until he realized how stupid it was since the room he was in was quickly incinerated in a blast. _Her mana supply seems to be limitless, she'll kill me before she runs out._ He was back in the courtyard, but now Caster was focused on Archer who was running along the rooftop doing his best to also not get obliterated, Caster's spell's were right on his heels. Destroying every location he went to, Archer was in constant movement, never moving in a straight line, never showing a pattern. He saw Archer make for the exit, _She'll be focused on blocking his escape, now's my chance._ Shirou climbed the building closest to her as quietly as possible, as he expected Caster sent a barrage of spells at the exit, putting fire and exploding debris in his path. Shirou jumped right for Caster, but halfway there he saw her turn and looked at him with a smile on her face, and a spell prepared in his direction. Shirou watched as the purple circles appeared from thin air, illuminating brightly as the stream of magic shot towards him. Only one thought popped in his head.

 _Well shit._ He closed his eyes and waited his death, but it never came.

"Your excessive stupidity hurts my head, idiot."

Shirou opened his eyes, he was beside Archer on a nearby rooftop "I'm the idiot? While you were running away I actually did tried to fight back, so who's the real idiot here? Calling me an idiot only makes you more of an idiot."

"You're such a child, while she's in this temple she can replicate true magic, Spatial Transportation, Innate Time Control, that kind of stuff, but I wouldn't expect your feeble mind to be able to grasp such concepts."

"Excuse meeeeeeeeeee." Apparently Caster didn't find their squabbling entertaining since where they once stood was now flaming rubble. Archer dragged Shirou by the collar of his shirt as he dodged another flurry of spells. The speed Archer moved at was nearly incomprehensible to Shirou, his vision was nothing but a blur of colors, with the constant flashes of heat and purple flashes exploding around him, he heard nothing but the wind at his ears. Then suddenly, they stopped, no they couldn't move, the area around them was covered in a purple aura.

"It doesn't matter who you are, you can't move if space itself is immobilized, so as they say, checkmate. Goodbye."

"Dodge this." It was so low that Shirou could barely hear him, he didn't know what he was talking about at first, but he and Caster noticed at the same time that Kanshou and Bakuya were spinning towards Caster's neck, each approaching from opposite sides. Caster had to dispel the immobilization spell to counter the incoming attack, freeing them from her clutches. Shirou and Archer wasted no time, Shirou took the left as Archer run up the middle. Archer rematerialized his bow as he jumped away from Caster's approaching spell, landing again, he materialized a strange looking arrow.

 **Caladabolg traced and added**

"I am the bone of my sword." Shirou just made out what Archer said, the words made no sense to him, but red lightning formed around him as spoke. The air around Shirou and that what was in his lungs was siphoned and condensed around Archer in a swirling mass, the arrow began to radiate brightly. "Caladabolg!" The arrow released in a brilliant blue streak, it collided with the protection spell Caster spell and tore through it as she screamed in pain. She landed in a bloody heap on the ground in front of them, her clothes still smoked from the impact of Archer's attack. Shirou ran in too finish her off but was stopped as Archer grabbed him by the back of his neck.

"Oh? You don't wish to finish me off? How generous of you Archer." Caster's injuries healed as she was speaking, and she appeared no worse for wear in a few moments.

""I'm only here to make sure you don't kill Shirou." Archer crossed his arms. "Any fighting other than that would prove unnecessary at the moment, and there's nothing I hate more."

"Let. Me. Go." Shirou struggled against Archer until he let him go, dropping him on his butt, Shirou got up but didn't approach Caster since he figured Archer would just stop him again.

Caster laughed, "Really? You don't care for unnecessary bloodshed? Are you sure this boy isn't your Master?"

It was Shirou's turn to talk, "Don't even start, I know what you're getting at and don't you dare."

"Indeed, while we are both pacifists, the boy's fundamentals are nothing like my own." Archer added.

"Pacifist my ass." Shirou retorted.

"Well anyway, I do find you both quite intriguing, I would like to offer an alliance with you. I have a plan to stop the entire war."

Shirou couldn't suppress a chuckle, "Man the balls on you, sorry but it's a no, from both of us."

"Excuse me?" Archer raised an eyebrow at Shirou.

"I doubt Rin would allow you to do it, besides does Caster give you a better chance of defeating Berserker than Saber and I?"

After a moment he replied, "I guess you make a good point, he's right Caster, we decline your offer."

She actually seemed a bit disappointed, much to Shirou's amazement, "Ah well, negotiations can't always go the way you want."

"Even though you just tried to kill me, if you ever decide to change your murderous ways and join the good guys, a Magus of your caliber on our side would always be a plus, just saying." Shirou didn't look at her, just saying it left a bad taste in his mouth.

"I see generosity is another shared trait of yours," she giggled. "I'll keep that in mind." She got to her feet, flying back up into the air. For a moment Shirou thought she was going to resume fighting but instead, she left, in an instant she was gone.

Shirou let out a sigh of relief, "Do you think she'll be back?"

"No" Archer turned to face him, "she's gone to the wind, do you plan to pursue her?"

"Nah," he slumped to his knees, his eyes felt heavy and his muscles were burning, "Would you mind assisting Saber? I'm just going to rest my eyes for a bit, this rock looks really comfortable."

Archer chuckled, "Sure, I think I can manage that."

"And Archer…"

"Yeah?"

"If you kill me in my sleep, I'll haunt you forever. Plus.." a yawn broke his sentence, "I've ordered Saber to kill you if I die, whether it's your fault or not." He didn't wait to hear Archer's response as he drifted off into unconsciousness.

 **Shirou Emiya, Level 39**

 **Health: 40/100**

 **Magic: 25/100**

 **Strength: 29/100**

 **Endurance: 50/100**

 **Dexterity: 47/100**

 **Intelligence: 30/100**

 **Wisdom: 20/100**

 **Luck: 60/100**

 **Skills:**

 **Element: Sword/Sword**

 **Resistance: Magic (5%) Curse (5%)**

 **Unlimited Blade Works: Level 4 (Locked)**

 **Passive increase in Swordsmanship**

 **6% EXP increase in Sword skills progression**

 **10% EXP increase in Archery skills progression**

 **Charisma: C+**

 **Cooking: A+**

 **Cleaning: A+**

 **Zen: D-**

 **Alaya's Favor: 0%**

 **Kenjutsu: C**

 **Reinforcement Magic: C+**

 **Weapon Tracing: C-**

 **Time Alter: C**

 **Gun Fu: D**

 **Pankration: Level 3 (Instant Travel: 2%)**

 **Presence Concealment: D+**

 **Perks :**

 **Ironman**

 **Miraculous Healing**

 **Star Constellation: Locked**


	11. Presage Flower

**I do not own any of the Fate series, the following is a non-profit fan-based parody. The Fate series is the property of Konoki Nasu, UFOTABLE, Type Moon, and Aniplex. Please support the official release.**

 **Now is as good time as any to let everyone know that everyone is over the age of 18 in this story in accordance to the VN (As sketchy as it may seem)**

 **Presage Flower**

The glimmer on top of the hill shows to be a girl, it's Saber staring into the ground, defeat resigned on her face.. The dream turns to men battling with deadly intent, gutting and eviscerating each other in a frenzy of bloodlust. Among them however there proved to be no equal to the white knight who fought furiously through the opposing forces, carving huge swaths out of the enemies ranks. Eventually, the knight reaches there true target, King Arthur.

"This is the end of your kingdom , King Arthur!" They clash swords, Shirou never thought he'd see someone as skilled with a blade as Saber, but this knight was no slouch. In fact, he favored the fighting style, it was similar to Saber but lacked the finesse and beauty, instead fighting with abandon like a wild beast.

"Why? Why didn't you turn over the throne to me?" Their blades struggled against each other as the knight questioned Saber.

"There is but one reason. You do not have it within you to be king."

 _Ouch,_ Shirou thought.

The dreams cuts to Saber planting her sword into the ground, hoping to get a bearing, the sword shakes from her waning strength.

The dreams cuts again to Saber dealing the final blow to the knight, dissecting them with a vertical slice, before running them through for good measure. The knights coughs blood from their face mask, then catches Saber with a blade under her guard.

"F-Father." The helmet breaks, and shows the bloody remains of a young woman's face.

 **You are 'Well Rested' you're Health, Mana, and Stamina will regenerate faster**

 _Neat,_ Shirou thought. He laid in bed for a moment, eyes lazily transfixed to the white ceiling, letting the morning sun warm his face from the window. His reverie was broken by movement to his right, fully turning his head he was met with two pairs of emerald eyes looking back at him.

"Gah! Jeez Saber, you could say something you know." Shirou had nearly jumped out of his skin, but relaxed when he remembered his new 'roommate'.

"My apologies Shirou," Saber said, sitting up from her bed. "I noticed you had awoken so I assumed it wise to begin my normal routine, to provide adequate protection."

"Of course, I appreciate it." He turned away, thinking about how he was going to play his next move.

"Have you been getting dreams about me Shirou?" Saber asked, she almost seemed to look right into his core.

"I…..yeah I just had one, how did you know?"

She eyes broke from his to look out the window, "I've had one of you, it was sparse at first but this one was very heavy. So much fire, that night was one I would wish to forget."

Shirou looked at her, then remembered something important that he had wholly forgot. "Saber, you…..you used to be my dad's Servant? He won the grail, had you destroy it…..and the fire happened?"

They regained eye contact, and Shirou could see pure fury in her eyes, "That is correct."

"What was he like?" Shirou's curiosity was ramping up by the second.

"I do not wish to tarnish your memory of him, I doubt that it is how he's want you to remember him." She replied softly, the gentleness almost caught him off guard.

"I remember watching him check out on the porch, looking none the worse about leaving his son to fend for himself, I love the guy Saber, but I know he wasn't perfect."

Saber sighed, she looked away, then back to Shirou, whose gaze never left her. "He was cold, calculating, and willing to use any manner at his disposal to eliminate his target. Kirei Kotomine was told to me to be his biggest rival and who he fought at the end of the last Holy Grail War. Between the two, I've not met many more ruthless."

Shirou's mouth opened and closed a few times before he could find the words to speak. "And…...what happened to his Servant? Since he survived the same conditions as my dad but is still breathing, something must have happened."

A shudder ran through Saber's body, "I don't know what became of his Servant, all I can wish is that his death was absolute."

"I'm sorry."

"Huh?" What he said had caught her off guard.

"My dad destroyed the Grail, you followed the rules, survived until the end….for nothing, just to fight again. It isn't fair." He looked down, Shirou couldn't imagine what she must have felt, what she's still feeling. "The man I looked up to, the hero of justice I thought Kiritsugu was, that's the Master you deserve."

"That's very kind of you Shirou, but like you said we're going to win. I do ." Se replied with a smile.

Shirou chuckled, "Well I guess that's one way to put it." He looked up and could see a couple notification alerts, and immediately assumed it was a level up from his previous fight. "Hey, I'm going to go use the bathroom."

"Okay."

He got up and went into the bathroom, once inside he pulled up his game menu and behold there were three unused skill points for him. Scrolling over to his skill tree, he looked at the three branches, each separated by skills meant for combat, magic, or to improve on himself.

 **You have unlocked Sword Fighting -Treacherous Knight**

 **You have unlocked Sword Fighting -King of Britain**

 **You have unlocked Sword Fighting -Counter Guardian**

 **Unlocking multiple Sword Fighting styles will augment current fighting style and moves.**

 _That knight was pretty impressive, but Archer knows how to best use dual swords._ He eventually decided to grab both of them, immediately he felt like someone dumped a cold bucket of water over his brain, instantly he knew of some the moves he had seen Archer use and some others that he assumed came from the 'Treacherous Knight.' That left him with one skill point left, looking at the magic branch there were two choices, **Lesser Mana Burst** and **Mana Fortification.** While the Mana Burst would give him an insane boostr in speed, he already had the Godspeed that he could level up once he was off the mend, and fortifying his mana would allow him control greater amounts of mana more effectively, so he chose **Mana Fortification.** After Shirou selected it, a gold outline appeared over his mana bar.

 **Mana Fortification, 25% decrease in mana consumption on all actions, meditation and performing large mana attacks will increase this skill.**

Shirou opened the door out, but immediately ran into Sakura. Their chests were pressed against one another, their faces so close he could feel her breathe on his chin, Shirou wanted to back away but her eyes had him locked in place, telling him to stay and promising nothing but love and care.

She spoke in little more than a whisper, "Shirou….."

He raised his slowly, bringing it up to move a stray hair that fell on her face, Sakura smiled at this, a soft blush rising in her cheeks. Footsteps were heard down the hall, and the pair separated quickly. Shirou could feel the phantom lingering of where her breasts were pressed against him, and his face felt like it was in an oven.

"F-Forgive me Sakura, what I did was out of line, I should respect your space."

Sakura looked to the floor, "Oh, ok."

"Well I'll let you get ready, we've got the whole day ahead of us." He beamed a smile at her, which she seemed to receive happily.

"Right, thank you Shirou." They went along each other's way, though Shirou could feel Sakura's hand brush against his own, but she didn't acknowledge it, so he let it be lest she go into another panic attack. His eyes were overcome by the static similar to a lost channel, and the incessant buzzing in his ears returned. It was again only momentary, but whenever something like that happened, it seemed to foretell something bad. He turned back to look at Sakura, she walked a few more steps before stopping, turning to look back at him. The look she gave him sent shivers down his spine, her smirk was knowing, and her eyes looked hungrily at him. When Sakura finally disappeared around the corner was when he regained motor and brain function, taking a very deep breathe to settle himself down.

 _Where did that come from?_ He thought. The pressure had been overbearing, Shirou just chalked it up to nerves though. _Since when did Sakura make me nervous?_ He headed back to his room, grabbing a towel and a change of clothes, trying all the while to hide the very apparent bulge in his pants. Luckily Saber wasn't there when he entered, so there was no problem. After retrieving his items Shirou went back to the bathroom, along the way he felt like someone was watching him, the closer he got, the stronger the feeling became. As he turned the corner, he saw the back of Sakura walking in the same direction, Shirou rushed as fast as he could into the bathroom before she spotted him. Closing the door behind him, Shirou was met with a face full of steam, hindering his vision. As he regained his sight, he could make out Saber sitting in the bathtub, her skin shone like silk, he could make out a single bead of sweat making its way down her che-

 _Shit! Not again!_ He pulled an immediate 180, covering his eyes and awaiting the coming beatdown, but it never came, instead he heard her speak.

"I'm sorry. I… I ask you to refrain from using the bath at this time…."

"Of course." Shirou quickly replied, "I had no intentions of entering if I'd known you were in here."

"I cannot restrict my Master's actions, and you have a right to need to wash. But… my body… is not like Rin's… not a girl's…"

"Well I don't think-"

"I do not wish for you to see my body." She cut him off, "A muscular body like this would be unappealing to the male perspective."

He turned around, "That's not true!" His vision was greeted by her naked form, her slender legs, the way her breasts pressed firmly against her as she used to arm to hide them. Shirou turned again when he felt his gaze linger too long. "I understand you probably don't hear it much considering you were king, but you are a truly beautiful woman, I'm sure you would've had many suitors if you had lived as a woman. With respect, your Grace. Anyways I should go, bye." With that, he rushed back out of the bathroom, just fast enough for Saber's outstretched arms to miss from grabbing him, she sunk bank into the tub in disappointment.

Shirou raced out of the bathroom and into the courtyard, there was a garden hose located on the side of the shed. He grabbed the hose in earnest and cranked the knob as far in the cold direction as it would go, he took off his shirt and doused himself in the bitter cold water, he could feel goosebumps forming on his back. A sigh of relief leaves his lips, he closed his eyes as the water calmed him.

"Ehem."

His eyes snapped open, every muscle in his body went tight, he slowly creaked his head in the direction of the voice. There stood Rin, drinking a glass of water as she looked curiously at Shirou.

"You know they've invented showers right?"

"Uhh yeah, umm sorry." He replied softly as he turned off the water, then dropping the hose to the ground.

"I'm guessing there's a reason for you being out here? You don't strike me as crazy." She took another drink from her cup.

Shirou looked around, putting his shirt back on in the process, he stood in the sun to dry his soaked pants. "Honestly, it's just been a crazy morning, I'm either blessed or cursed."

"I see, well I've come to deliver another blessing." She walked up to his until they were but a foot away, she looked deep into his eyes, "You're going to be practicing with Sakura today, we've already discussed it."

"Pretty sure I should get a vote."

"Ehhh." She shrugged her shoulders, "Well if you want to go tell Sakura that you're flaking be my guess. See how she takes it."

He narrowed his eyes to Rin, "That's not fair."

She took another step forward, poking her finger into his chest. "What's not fair is you being her best friend but not hanging out with her, stop being a dick. You're picking her up from her place at 3." She turned on her heels and stormed away, the ends of her hair tickling his nose as they whipped past his face. Shirou stood dumbstruck in the courtyard, Rin's words replaying on a loop in his head.

 _I haven't even seen Sakura all that much lately, and I did blow her off last time she offered._ He gulped, _I just hope she's back to normal._ He couldn't imagine the chaos it would cause in the house if he gave in to his urges. While he enjoyed the platonic relationship he had with Sakura, he wasn't an idiot, she had grown into a beautiful woman. He could only surmise that she took time off for her mage training as well, if she was indeed a mage. Such a matter would be dealt with later though, now he would go to the dojo and train, he needed to be properly acclimated to his new fighting form. He went without breakfast, not wanting to miss the chance of improvement while the fresh moves still swam around in his mind. He wasn't sure for how long he trained, the new moveset was truly amazing, this Treacherous Knight brought a ferocity to battle that seemed to really help Shirou vent out a bit. Archer's skill set seemed to revolve more around superior battle tactics than brute force, considering his own his lack of strength Shirou figured it fit right up his alley.

 _Archer…...who are you?_ Caster had compared the two together, it made him wonder. _Can the Grail grab people from the future? But unless I got a tan and dyed my hair, he couldn't be me, besides I wouldn't be caught dead in that outfit._ He couldn't help a snicker to himself.

"Is something funny Shirou?"

Shirou turned to see Saber sitting against the wall, watching him patiently. "Umm, how long have you been there?"

She raised her hand to her chin, giving an inquisitive look to him, "Quite a mystery I'd say, a warrior should never be caught off guard. Your form is… curious, I'd almost say familiar." She stood up, and began to walk towards him slowly. "Mind telling me where you came to know some of the moves you were performing? I do not recall teaching them to you myself."

 _Man she's got me cornered here, she'll know if I'm lying for sure,_ Shirou thought. "I got them from a dream, a dream about you. You were fighting another, and from that foe is where I gained this knowledge. Forgive me if I've offended you in any way."

She seemed to consider his words, looking him over to gauge his body language as well. Eventually she sighed and replied to him, "It's fine, it is a fine form, and I doubt the original owner will mind. Now about that dream of yours-"

"Saber, I would wish for us not to discuss it." Shirou said, cutting her off

"Oh, and why is that?"

"I know you from now, and only as Saber. That dream was from your time as King Arthur, I wouldn't ask you to divulge such personal matters to me unless you were absolutely ready. However, I do hope that one day I can learn who you really are," he gives a brief pause, "Artoria."

"That is very kind of you, truly you display great compassion and respect Shirou, I am grateful to have you as a companion." She offered him a bow which he returned as well.

"Well I gotta be off, I'm supposed to be practicing archery with Sakura. I know how you feel about me going off alone, but Sakura is a gentle girl, and if she saw you there after she was told it would just be me-" He shook his head. "Rin would have my head if I messed up. So how about I keep you at the ready, you're only a Command Seal away right?"

"Yes that is correct."

He raised the back of his hand, showing her the Command Seals "You have my word, if any danger comes to me, the first thing I'll do is call you to my side."

"Alright fine," she huffed, "I will await your command."

They exchanged bows and he was off. Along the way he thought about the time he's spent with Sakura, the years that have gone by with her by his side, almost as a silent passenger to his own life. It's not as if their friendship was all together mutual to begin with, the girl wouldn't take no for an answer, and who was he to turn away his then friend's sister. She never expressed any true passions to call her own, except for those things things that he taught her, but she was the closest thing he had to consistency in his life, Taiga and dad never were never big on doing chores. He eventually began to look forward to her presence, it made the house seem less empty, and most importantly, he was happy around her.

He arrived at the Matou residence at the time specified by Rin, it had been so long since he'd been around the old house that he almost forgot what it looked like. No matter the day the estate always seemed to be shrouded in shadows, the towering structures and muted colors along with the encroaching shrubbery that looked as if it hadn't been cut in years always put off an ominous presence.

 _Wait, what is that? It sounds like…...yeah that's gotta be crickets. But in this weather?_ He could ascertain that the source of the chirping was coming from the overgrowth, which was too dark for him to properly peer into. Shirou could clearly see his breath in the wind, far too cold for most insects to be roaming around, especially in such a large amount, if he was to believe what he heard.

"Good afternoon, Senpai." Sakura stood on the other side of the gate, snapping Shirou's attention to her.

"Hey Sakura, how are you feeling?" He asked, inwardly kicking himself for the dumb question.

"Ummm fine I guess, why do you ask?" They began their walk to the school.

"Oh, you know, it's cold out. Heh don't want you getting a cold right?" In his mind he was shaking his head, _Real smooth genius, try not to make this weird, you've been around Sakura lots of times._ "Your house always gave me the creeps."

"The inside isn't much better," she replied softly. "Shinji is so busy lately that he's hardly home, the house can get awfully lonely."

"I can imagine Shinji isn't the most favorable company when he is around, no offense of course."

"It's ok, Shinji isn't an honest person, so if you feel at ends with him, then he probably considers you a friend."

The concept made Shirou's headspin, what ludicrous knowledge Sakura was imparting on him. Yet he does not voice his complaints, "Some people are too complicated for their own good, and while I harbor some good will towards Shinji….", he stopped his sentence to reach over to Sakura's face, turning her head to the side that she kept opposite of his view,he revealed a fresh bruise on her cheek. Shirou felt his blood boil, "His actions of late are unacceptable and despicable, this can't continue, not under my watch."

Sakura brought her head back forward out of his grasp, she cradled the bruise in her hand and avoided Shirou's eyes. "I'm sorry, I-I didn't want you to see, all I've ever asked of Shinji is never in front of you."

His teeth felt like they were going to break under the pressure he had them, he wanted nothing more now than relief from his anger. He took a deep breath before speaking, "Never apologize to me for this, if you do nothing else for me until the day I die, do that."

She nodded in agreement before they continued along their way, mostly in silence as Shirou pondered many of ideas, he even allowed himself to satisfy some of his more sadistic curiosities in his quest to find suitable retribution for Shinji's actions. Shinji's body would be a playground to his savage desires, he would start with the fingernails, that would be a great way to get things started…

He shook his head, he couldn't delve into such thoughts, he needed to be better than Shinji, for Sakura's sake. "Sakura, I think you should stay with me for awhile, at least until I can get Shinji straightened out. Family is important, but family need not be blood as they say." He looked over to her, Sakura was still walking but now had shock all over her face. "I know it;s a lot to ask and I won't rush you for an answer-"

"Yes!" She cut in excitedly, Sakura immediately caught her over enthusiasm and composed herself before continuing, "I would like that very much."

"That's great, Taiga won't mind a bit, and I won't bring up your bruise to anyone without your say-so first." He added.

"Thank you, Shirou. Are you sure about this though, I'd hate to overshadow your cooking."

He cocked an eyebrow at her, "Is that right?"

"I hope you haven't let your skills falter," she teased, "it would be a shame if I took your title as Best Cook without you even putting up a fight. Frankly, I'd be disappointed." A smile graced her lips that made Shirou's day, he was glad that she was able to move past what just happened, even if he was still seething mad.

"Well I'll try not to disappoint." He replied, they didn't say much more as the school was now in front of them. The pair walked through the campus and to the archery dojo, snow hadn't fallen yet so the field was still suitable for practice. While Sakura went to retrieve a pair of bows and some arrows, Shirou soaked in the nostalgia one last time before he put a bow back in his hands.

"Shinji says that you left the club for a few more hours at your job." Sakura had returned and handed him a bow before placing a bundle of arrows on the ground next to him. He drew back the bow, feeling the resistance before letting it rest back into place.

"I didn't want to participate as much, but that's the past and the club is in more than capable hands." He took an arrow from the pile, lining it up on the rest before sliding it back slightly, not fully drawing until he was bringing the bow down to let loose. His eyes never blinked as he launched the arrow out, cutting through the chill wind before burying itself into the third ring of the target. He finally let out his breathe, looking over in time to see Sakura send hers straight through the center, to which Shirou whistled in appreciation. "You sell yourself too short I think, if you truly love archery you'll make a fine captain."

They stayed like this for awhile, trading shots at their targets while carrying on conversation now and again, Shirou all the while nickel and diming XP from the activity, giving him more incentive to hit bullseyes. They trained until the sun was set and they could no longer see there targets, the time just seemed to pass them by. Clean up was easy enough and they were out just as quickly as they came, Shirou could see the notification **!** pop up to the upper right, but he would have time to check it later.

"Is there anything you need to grab from your place?" Shirou asked.

"Hmmmm, maybe a few things, if you don't mind the detour."

"Not at all." He replied.

"Hey Shirou," Sakura asked, her breathe fading into the night sky as she spoke, "do you remember? It's a story from long ago, before we even met. I was at the school, and the sun bathed everything in this beautiful red glow. Looking outside, I could see this little boy at the high jump. At the time I wondered 'Just give up and go home' but he didn't, he stayed there and tried over and over and over. Best part was-"

"The kid never did make that jump." Shirou finished with a smile on his face, "I love that story, didn't think you knew it."

Sakura looked at him, returning his smile, "I've known you longer than you actually thought."

"Well," he let out a chuckle, "if I'd known you were watching, I would've tried harder." Arriving at the Matou residence, Shirou decided he'd stay out here in case Shinji was home, wouldn't want to start something in front of Sakura. While he stood there waiting, he began to hear the crickets again, but this time it was much louder and much closer. Shirou could now properly discerne the noise as bugs, lots of them moving around at once, the thought of the number it would take to make such a noise made his skin crawl.

"You're taking good care of my granddaughter I see." A deep booming voice spoke from the shadows. Shirou prepared himself for a fight, but settled down when he could make out the figure of an old man approaching him. He was your run of mill old man: bald, wrinkles, walked with a cane.

"Forgive my rudeness, my name is Shirou Emiya, so I take it you're Sakura's grandfather?" Shirou asked, he tried his best to maintain eye contact, but something about those sunken eyes made him uneasy.

"Emiya?" The old man asked, Shirou began to think it unwise to tell people his last name, "Is the Einzbern girl doing alright?"

The question threw him completely off, "Excuse me?" All the alarms in his head were going off now, and the churning of insects was now back and louder than before. The old man did no more than sneer at him before disappearing back into the overgrowth. "Hey! What do you know about Illya? Where is she?" He yelled after the old man, but he was long gone. Shirou stood at the gate dumbstruck, how did Sakura's grandfather know Illya, why does he think Illya would be with him?

 _He has to know she's my sister._ He thought, _When I'm not with Sakura, Saber and I will have to pay the old man a visit._

 **Main Quest Unlocked - What Lurks In The Dark**

 **Find and question Zouken Matou**

 _Zouken…._ The name ran through Shirou's head, _The guy managed to sneak up on me, for someone his age and with that cane it should've been impossible. Sakura and Shinji have never mentioned him before, no all of this smells of pure fuckery._ Shirou stayed at the gate until Sakura re emerged from its shadow, and thankfully no worse for wear. The walk home was uneventful, but Sakura was noticeably tense, and Shirou could still make out the sound of bugs way off behind them. They were being watched, and he could feel it. Thankfully Shirou knew the city like the back of his hand, and was easily able to find a route more discreet route.

"Now just because you're living here doesn't mean you have to work day in and day out. I expect you to leave Saber and I a good amount to do ourselves, if I catch you overdoing it I'll take away all of your chores." He told Sakura as they entered the Emiya residence, he wanted to make sure she got outside and still lived her own life.

"Of course, as long as I can repay you somehow, that's all I ask."

He turned to her in the hallway, stopping their progression into the house, "Sakura, no harm will come to you under my care. I should have done this sooner, what kind of hero of justice can't protect those he holds most precious."

Sakura began to blush, walking ahead of him so he wouldn't see, "Do you really care about me that much Shirou?"

"Of course." He said softly, turning her around her enveloped his new guest in a hug. "Sakura, I'm so sorry. I won't fail you again."

After they separated, Shirou and Sakura went their separate ways. _I wonder how I'll explain that Saber is sleeping in the same room,_ he thought, _ah well, that's a problem for another time._ As he walked along the courtyard he pulled up his **Menu** , clicking out the notification folder, he found something that piqued his interest.

 **Your constellation is moving, look to the sky. Your prayer is strength, call upon the heavens and let loose their fury.**

 **O' Heaven**

As Shirou scanned the night sky, looking amongst the hundred of stars for anything discernable, he could make out a grouping that seemed to shine just a little brighter than all the rest. From what he could make out, it looked like a bow.

 _Tempting, but I can't 'let any fury loose' inside here._ He would have to bide his time to where he was in a safe location with no possible collateral damage. So he begrudgingly went to bed, where Saber was already there, fast asleep. He made a quick change of his clothes and dove underneath the warm blankets, he inwardly thanked Saber as the added body heat would definitely help on these cold nights. Shirou let a relieved sigh leave his lips, peeking over at his Servant, he couldn't help but smirk. "Goodnight Saber."

"Goodnight Shirou." She responded.

When Shirou next regained sight, he was in the school half naked, he assumed he was having the cliche in-his-underwear dream but this was different, much different. The sky outside was blood red, and a cold chill ran up and down his spine.

"Emiya-kun." He turned toward the voice in time to get tackled by Rin, pinning him down by the shoulders with considerable strength. She purred in his ear, "Don't be coy, you already have what you want." The skirt she wore offered little barrier between their bodies, and she was vigorously grinding into him until he was fully erect. The heat and wetness from her womanhood was amazing against his groin, and her skin was so soft and supple, he could even make out the curves of her backside from underneath her. Rin worked her hands along his pecs, outlining every line in his abdomen and all the way down until she reached her prize.

"Rin, thi- this cannnnnnnn-" Words left him as Rin pulled his dick from his pants, grasping it firmly in her soft hands, she gave him a few pumps, which he involuntarily responded with a few twitches from his member. Rin rose slightly before using his penis to push her panties to the side, his breath caught in his throat as he swept past her now soaked entrance. He looked up at Rin, who gave nothing more than a soft giggle before plunging herself down onto him, the sensation almost made him swallow his tongue, everything felt so…..real. The way her insides coiled around him as she rose and fell from his lap. Shirou thought he might melt inside of the fellow Master, and the lewd slapping of flesh smacking against each other was only coupled with the wet squelching sounds that came from the point of contact. By this time Shirou had stopped resisting, he let his hands lay on her thighs as she bounced hypnotically on top of him, her breasts looked amazing in motion, even if they still remained clothed. Rin stopped her bouncing to take up a steady grind as she brought her head down to her back, and what Shirou thought would be a kiss turned into a sharp pain. When Rin resurfaced, she was licking blood from her lips, which he could only assume was his.

"Wha-", Rin put a finger to his lips, and placed his hand on her breasts as she ground harder and faster into him, he squeezed and massaged her considerable bust, appreciating it's softness.

"Mmmmmm Shirou." Rin moaned, her breathing turned into heavy a heavy pant and her calls began more and more lustful. "Shirou, Shirou, Shirou…"

"Shirou what are you doing?" He snapped his eyes open, Rin was now Sakura and what once was a face of carnal desire now read confusion and betrayal. "Shirou, why?"

Before he could speak, his dream was over and he was awake. Looking around his room he noticed that Saber was already gone. He rose from his bed but was met with an uncomfortable stiffness, looking down he could see that his sheets were soaked, most noticeably around his groin. Lifting the sheets, he could make out a wetness that covered the entirety of his genitals going as far up as his abs and as low as his thighs.

"Oh Shirou what have you gotten yourself into?" He asked himself.

 **Shirou Emiya, Level 42**

 **Health: 40/100**

 **Magic: 25/100**

 **Strength: 29/100**

 **Endurance: 50/100**

 **Dexterity: 47/100**

 **Intelligence: 30/100**

 **Wisdom: 20/100**

 **Luck: 60/100**

 **Skills:**

 **Element: Sword/Sword**

 **Resistance: Magic (5%) Curse (5%)**

 **Unlimited Blade Works: Level 4 (Locked)**

 **Passive increase in Swordsmanship**

 **6% EXP increase in Sword skills progression**

 **10% EXP increase in Archery skills progression**

 **Charisma: C+**

 **Cooking: A+**

 **Cleaning: A+**

 **Zen: D-**

 **Alaya's Favor: 0%**

 **Kenjutsu: C+ (Fighting Styles Inculded)**

 **Reinforcement Magic: C+**

 **Weapon Tracing: C-**

 **Time Alter: C**

 **Gun Fu: D**

 **Pankration: Level 3 (Instant Travel: 2%)**

 **Presence Concealment: D+**

 **Perks :**

 **Ironman**

 **Miraculous Healing**

 **Star Constellation: O' Heaven, Collapsing Star**

 **Mana Fortification**


	12. A Long Night

**I do not own any of the Fate series, the following is a non-profit fan-based parody. The Fate series is the property of Konoki Nasu, UFOTABLE, Type Moon, and Aniplex. Please support the official release.**

 **A Long Night**

 _Why am I having dreams like that all of a sudden?_ Shirou thought to himself as he threw the dirty sheets and clothes into the laundry bin. _It was so real, I'm just glad Saber was already gone, an explanation out of that would've been awkward. Speaking of which….._ He searched the house for his Servant before eventually spotting her coming out of Sakura's bedroom.

"Hey Saber, we've gotta head out. I need to go talk to Kotomine before school."

She turned to greet him, and already he could tell that something was wrong, "Good morning Shirou, there is something I need to tell you as well. It's Sakura, she's not feeling well, she's resting now but she's been burning up, and the way she tosses in her sleep, I wouldn't hesitate to guess she's having night terrors."

Shirou walked up to the door, but he stopped with his hand on the door handle. _I should let her rest, we've got business to handle and she'll be in a better talking mood with more energy._ He released the handle and backed away, turning back to face Saber, his face steeled in conviction. "Saber, what was the relationship Kiritsugu had with the Einzbern's in the last Holy Grail War?"

His Servant was visibly surprised by the question, Saber looked like she wasn't entirely sure how to answer it either. "He was hired by them to ensure their victory, with his previous history of combating magi he was a smart choice. Through circumstance he came to fall in love with who would become the vessel of the Grail, Irisviel von Einzbern. From there union came his daughter Illya, from what I observed his family loved him, and prayed for his victory. Aside from that, I don't know much, we were fundamentally different people and as such didn't operate as a duo much if at all."

As Saber fed Shirou information, his mind was running a mile a minute, trying to connect things to data he already had, but getting the full picture by piecing scraps together was arduous. "Let's go Saber, we can check up on Sakura when we get back, I think I heard Taiga around here so she won't mind keeping an eye on her." With that he turned on his heels and headed to the front door, waiting as Saber informed Taiga of Sakura's condition before heading off to see the fake priest.

"So this Irisviel," Shirou asked as he walked, the brisk air tickling his face, "Illya's mother, you said she was the vessel for the Grail, how is that possible?"

"Giving the Grail a vessel would give it the ability to protect and maintain itself until it was time to summon it." Saber explained.

Snow began to fall, lightly dusting the rooftops and sidewalk with fine powder. Shirou responded back to his Servant, "So they're basically a walking cocoon. I remember Illya saying something to Rin, that talent can be manufactured, are the Einzbern's….is Illya even human?"

"Irisviel was a homunculus created by the Einzbern's, that would make Illya at least half homunculus, but also half human. Shirou, what is with the new found curiosity, it provokes similar feeling within myself."

Shirou narrowed his eyes in front of him, blocking the snow from falling into his sight, "I'm not entirely sure myself, what do you know about the Matou family?"

"Nothing." She answered.

"That's why we're going to see Kirei, a Matou knows about Kiritsugu's connection to the Einzbern's, and it's not a stretch to assume that if Illya mother could be a grail vessel that she could do the same. Sakura's 'grandfather' asked me about her last night."

Saber's demeanor changed, she looked very seriously at Shirou, "Is that right? That would mean he had knowledge of the previous Grail War, of which I don't remember a Matou being involved, unless…." she trails off here, reflecting on her past within her mind.

Shirou doesn't notice as they approach the church gate's, he turns to his Servant before giving her an order, "Don't come inside. Kotomine seems like the kind of guy that enjoys getting under people's skin, I don't want to give a possible enemy the chance to figure out what makes you tick."

Saber nods, understanding her Master's reasoning and allows him to continue on into the church by himself. As she watches him disappear into the church, she can't help but worry about Shirou. If Kotomine could possibly break down her mental walls, would Shirou fare any better?

The church was well lit from the light that poured in through the window, Shirou couldn't help but admire the condition that the fake priest kept the church. He walked down the aisle, he noticed that someone else was already here. Kotomine was talking to a blonde haired, from the quality of his clothes, the jewelry, and immaculate appearance, Shirou could tell that this man held some position of power. As he approached the two, they finally gave notice to his presence, Kotomine was first to acknowledge him.

"Ah Shirou, to what do I owe the pleasure."

The Master raised a hand in dismissal, "Oh I can wait, didn't mean to be rude." He headed for a seat in one of the rows and tried his best to feign interest in the art hanging up on the walls. Kotomine and the blonde didn't speak much longer, as the blonde walked by him to leave he stopped in the row Shirou sat in.

"Quite a unique specimen you are." Shirou couldn't help but feel that the blonde was talking more to himself than to him. The blonde then walked out of the church through what Shirou guessed was a back exit. He turned his attention back to Kirei, who was now sitting on the other end of the bench.

"Now what was it that you needed, don't tell me you've changed your mind?" The fake priest asked, the smile slapped on his face dripped with arrogance.

"No, you were a Master in the previous Grail War right? Let's cut the bullshit, I need to know if any Matou's participated."

Kirei glared at him, "And why should I divulge that information?"

"I believe someone might be trying to make a move on the Grail and it's your duty to uphold the integrity of the War, figured it would peak your interest." Shirou said nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders as if it was no big deal.

Kotomine seemed to take a moment to think it over before saying, "A Matou?"

"That's right." Shirou said, nodding his head. "An elderly man who claims to be the grandfather of the youngest Matou heirs. Bald, wrinkling, eyes devoid of any life."

"Zouken, you filthy worm." Kirei spat the name out as if it was mud on his tongue. "Yes I know the man, I thought he might show up, monitoring his position is tricky considering his…condition."

"Condition?" Shirou questioned.

"The soul isn't everlasting Shirou, when the body dies that soul has no anchor to this world, and will return to the Root. Some are stubborn and refuse to go back, instead forcing their life force into other living beings."

Shirou thought about what the priest was telling him. _The soul? Just what is he getting at._

The fake priest continued, "The Holy Grail War is conducted normally every 60 years, this is the 5th. Zouken Matou has been around since the 3rd, and that's just as far back as the Church was monitoring him."

"Wait, I could easily see the guy being 70, but you're saying he might be older?" Shirou asked.

"That's right." Kotomine stood up, "Killing him will be no easy feat. I believe Zouken is spreading his life force among a swarm of bugs that makes up his body, he has complete control of them allowing him to mitigate any damage that doesn't target his entire body." He began walking out of the aisle.

Shirou stood up too, "You sure do know a lot about him."

Kirei walked out of the aisle and headed towards the front, "By an encounter with him I was able to devise enough of a theory, but it is only that. I don't know his full capabilities."

Shirou headed out of the aisle himself, "One more question, why are you being so generous?"

Kirei shrugged, "Can it not be out of the kindness of my heart?"

"No." Shirou deadpanned.

His comment elicited a chuckle from the fake priest, "Honestly, I don't see you lasting long, figured I'd deserved a little help. C'mon you don't seem to be the idiot I thought you were, you have to have noticed."

Shirou sighed, the guy was right, "I figured you didn't stay cooped in this church all day, and a man like yourself has to have eyes and ears around the city."

"How perceptive."

"But your right, I appreciate your concern but we've handled ourselves so far, we can handle it." With that Shirou heading towards the exit.

Shirou Emiya what is your wish?" Kirei called after him.

Shirou stopped with his hand on the door handle, _I guess it doesn't hurt to let the guy know, any publicity is good publicity._

He turned to the fake priest with a smile on his face, "Peace. Everlasting. Shirou Emiya is going to save the world." He walked out the door with his statement.

Kotomine stood in silence for a moment, "What a fool."

Shirou walked out of the gates of the church, there Saber stood guard, walking over to him when she noticed his return. "How was it? Did you learn anything?"

Her Master nodded, "Yeah, took a little longer than I expected though, we won't be able to check on Sakura. Taiga will set her up well, but we should head to school."

The duo headed off, along the way Shirou told Saber all he had learned about the Matou's, and the truth about Zouken. "So Saber, I was wondering, what abilities do you possess? Do you have anything that could beat him?"

The Servant looked down in contemplation, "I have abilities that benefit my swordplay, but I do have a Noble Phantasm that may be able to take him out if every bug that he possesses is in one spot."

"Which is no guarantee, well we'll keep that in our back pocket just in case." He said as he crossed his hands behind his head.

"Shirou, there is something I've been meaning to discuss, the amount of mana that an attack like that will take-"

"Don't worry about it, I've got it covered. I've been trying out some new training that naturally reinforces my mana," he lied, "plus I've got a few potions for mana as well."

 _Even though I hate using them,_ he thought, _I got the plants from a magi caravan that came through town one day. It never comes around often enough for me to expect another visit soon though._

"Really? I must admit Shirou your progress is frightening." Saber praised.

He uncrossed his hands, looking up at the snow that was now blanketing everything. "Well I think about everything that you've done in your life. Even without the superhuman speed and strength you were still a great king and a warrior with no match. The story of King Arthur inspires hope and courage, you're a hero."

"Nobody is perfect Shirou." Saber scolded.

"That's not what I mean. Chivalry, moral character, and loyalty are all traits of a hero, traits you possess. It's not about your faults or your failures, it's about ensuring peace and happiness. As long as you tried and didn't waver in the face of all who would threaten that, then you've done the world a service."

Saber looked at Shirou surprised, the world hit home with her. "Those are very kind words Shirou, you have a very noble view, but I fear that you may hold too high of standards."

The Master chuckled, "Yeah, like you said nobody is perfect."

They walked for a little while longer, watching little kids throw snowballs at each other. The snow had stopped and the sun was beginning to peak from among the clouds. As they reached the school, Shirou told Saber to patrol the rooftop, keeping a birdseye view of the campus. With a nod they went their separate ways. Shirou's day was largely uneventful, Mr. Kuzuki and Issei appeared to have not came today, maybe there was a problem up at the temple?

 _Caster…_ he thought as he was walking down the hallway.

"Emiya!" He turned to see Rin walking towards him, with everyone behind her looking at him, he couldn't resist a grin.

 _Homurahara's Brownie with a school legend like Tohsaka? Must be frying their brains._ He chuckled at the thought.

Rin spun him around as she past him, directing him by the arm up the school stairs, he could feel the collective eyes of the entire hallway on the back of his head. "We're eating together right?"

He began to separate from her grip, "Uh yeah but I have to grab my-"

"Nonsense, I've already packed you a lunch." She smiled at him reassuringly.

Shirou blinked hard at her, "Say what now?"

"Oh um well," she stammered, her face becoming slightly flushed, "I know how good of a cook you are and I wanted to see how mine stood up." She walked slightly faster, blocking the view of her face from him.

"Tohsaka…" he looked at the fellow Master ahead of him, he hadn't really learned any of her interests outside of the defeat of every other Master and her sheer tenacity in thaumaturgy. Shirou walked up to match her speed, placing an arm around her shoulder and giving her a thumbs up, "I can't wait to try it Tohsaka!"

They finally reached the top of the building, Shirou walked along its perimeter, then returned to the middle where Rin stood. He called out, "Saber, if you can hear me, Tohsaka and I are on the roof."

The two Masters sat next to each other against the wall of the exit. Shirou gratefully accepted the sandwiches and drink from Rin.

"Wow, this really is good Tohsaka." He said while he was in between mouthfuls.

Rin's glare burned into his soul, "Why do you sound surprised?"

"Umm I have no idea what you're talking about?" Shirou tried his best not to showing the Tohsaka heir that he was sweating.

Rin sighed, turning back to her lunch, "Thanks again for practicing with Sakura, I'm sure she appreciated it."

He dismissed her with a wave, "No thanks needed. Like you said I'm her friend, I shouldn't be neglectful. That being said I hope that one time is enough for now, considering I'm constantly in fear for my life."

This elicited a giggle from Rin, "Yeah that makes sense."

Shirou looked at Rin from the corner of his eye, "Your recent increase in concern for Sakura is curious though, never thought you guys were close."

"I've seen her around and know how much of a dick her brother is." She retorted.

"Speaking of shady Matou's, Sakura is staying with me until further notice, Shinji assured that. So we'll find out soon enough who the Master really is. Either I'll run into Shinji or get stabbed in the back by my best friend in my own house." He went back to calmly eating his meal as Rin looked perplexed at him.

"You are taking that way to well." She pointed out.

He shrugged his shoulders, "Saber says she's come down with something anyways. Plus she didn't kill me when we here yesterday, a part of your plan I'm sure, just like you to use me as bait."

Rin looked out towards the sun, watching it's rays reflect off the layers of snow in brilliant sparkles. "That's not it not entirely. You see, Sakura is my sister." She looked over to Shirou, upon seeing his dumbfounded look, she figured it ok to continue. "Magi families are only meant to have one successor, but my father gave birth to two girls, both with exceptional potential in magic. Since the Matou's were a dying bloodline, my father agreed to give her to them to be their heir. Hence why I had to see if she would kill you or not, then again she could be the Master and not kill you because you're her," she paused, looked at him and cleared her throat, "'friend'."

"Never would've noticed, so…... is that her natural hair color?"

"Yes, what are you going to talk with your red hair?" She shot back.

"You're right, leaving that one alone. Anyways, I went and talked to Kotomine."

Rin looked puzzled, "You're the last person I'd expect to talk to him."

"I ran into someone suspicious at the Matou residence, an elderly man by the name of Zouken Matou. He appears to be keeping close tabs on Shinji and Sakura, and if he isn't a Master himself, he's coordinating with one of them, maybe both. Kotomine says the Church has been tracking him perhaps farther back than the Third Grail War."

Rin stood up to stretch, "I should tell you that Kirei isn't the most trustworthy person for information."

"That's not it, he also brought up Illya."

"So he knows she's the vessel? Well that's definitely concerning." She added.

The redhead looked skeptically at her, How do you know that?"

She smirked and shook her head at his question, "The Tohsaka's provided the locale for the Grail War, which came to be known as Fuyuki. It is the Einzbern's duty to provide suitable homunculi to act as vessels for the Grail."

"Shirou, Rin." The two Masters turned to see Saber approaching them. "The perimeter is currently secure, although there is a distinct magical presence around the school."

"Oh that's just an enemy bounded field, Rin's already tried removing it with no luck. Anyways know that Saber is here, I can let you guys know what else I found out. Saber, the Servant you fought at the end of the last war, did he have blonde hair, air of superiority, and a penchant for shiny things?"

His Servant nodded, "Yes that sounds like the Archer Servant. You saw him?"

Shirou stood up to be eye level with the two women, "Well he wasn't exactly hiding, I saw him talking to Kirei when I walked in, wasn't able to get any of that conversation unfortunately."

"So Kirei has a Servant, and another Archer on top of that," Rin remarked.

So the two stayed atop the school building for a little while longer as Saber explained what she knew of Kirei's Archer's abilities. Once their business was concluded the two Masters went back to their classes, and Saber to her covert reconnaissance. Shirou didn't do much the rest of the day, instead using the time to look over his **Servant Index** and reading what it contained on Illya's Servant, Hercules. Unfortunately, it appeared the index only contained knowledge that he already knew, so it was for the most part useless. As the final bell rung to end of the school day, Shirou tried his best to hide his desire to leave the classroom.

 _I can catch up on all of this stuff when I'm sure I'll be living tomorrow,_ he thought as he exited the school building. Shirou didn't bring up the other thing Kirei said to him to Saber and Rin, but the words stuck to his mind nonetheless.

 _You won't last long. You have to have noticed?_ The fake priest had told him and Shirou understood why. As of now, every other Servant has come for his head, even from his own alliance. Telling others would only make them more paranoid, but Shirou still didn't like the target painted on his back.

"Hey Emiya," Rin walked up to his side as they exited the school campus, Saber walked up to his other side as the black haired Master spoke, "I meant to say something else. I talked to Issei if anything weird was going on at Ryuudou Temple the other day. Apparently Mr. Kuzuki has taken a fiancee, a woman who simply appeared out of nowhere."

"And you think he is the master to Caster? At this point I wouldn't be surprised."

"That's not all, I heard from the faculty that he's coming by the school to pick up some papers, so we should be able to catch on his way back home."

He sighed, "Good plan, I thought you wanted to outright kill him."

"Well not yet at least." She added.

"That's fine with me, Saber?" He turned to his Servant, who looked to be enjoying the scenery.

"Huh? Uh yes, my purpose is to battle after all." She looked in front of Shirou to address the other Master, "Will you not be calling on Archer?"

Rin looked away from the two, "Not unless we get in a pinch, I don't want him around Caster."

The three stopped at an abandoned gas station, Rin revealing this to be a prime ambush spot for Mr. Kuzuki on his way to the Temple. Rin and Shirou hid inside the schack, while Saber patrolled the forested area that was on the other side of the road, blocking off his main escape route. They waited for what seemed like hours, made only more boring by the fact that Rin restricted talking to preserve their stealth. By the time Rin nudged him to signal Mr. Kuzuki's arrival, his legs were well on their way to being asleep. Rin aimed her Gandr curse for their teacher's shoulder and let it fly, hitting him spot on, or so they thought.

"I told you Master, it is not safe for you to be travelling on the roads at night. Enemies will certainly try to attack you." A woman's voice came from the ether.

"Perish the thought." Mr. Kuzuki said, his face an expressionless canvas.

Shirou was the first to appear from the gas station, raising his hands up to signify he was no threat. "What's up Mr. Kuzuki. Caster, have you gave my offer any thought?"

His gamble worked out as the Servant showed herself, flying high above his head, "Hmmph, indeed. But you have attacked my Master, so what would be an appropriate response?" She replied.

The redhead scratched the back of his head, "So, Mr. Kuzuki, is Caster controlling you, I'm sure you understand the importance in my question."

"What makes you assume she is controlling me?" His teacher asked.

"Mage, hates men, seems to love her underlings." He looked up to the Servant flying above him, "She certainly plays the role of witch well enough." Caster sneered at his remark.

Mr. Kuzuki blinked at Shirou, "No, Caster is not controlling me, I simply follow her command of my own will. Death is not uncommon to an assassin, as such the lives of others means nothing to me, just as mine means nothing to them."

"For a teacher, you sure do make dumb choices. Trace on." Shirou said with a grin as he produced Kanshou and Bakuya. He took a step forward, drawing the full attention of Caster and Mr. Kuzuki. He watched as Saber emerged from the trees, lunging straight for the lung of Mr. Kuzuki. As Shirou's teacher caught Saber's sword between his knee and elbow, everyone present could've heard a pin drop at that moment. The assassin turned teacher immediately poured it on the Servant, closed fist strikes to her collarbone and ribs in quick succession appeared to heavily damage Saber, much to Shirou's surprise and horror. With the speed of a cracking whip, Mr, Kuzuki hit Saber with a spinning heel kick from hell that sent her flying into the gas station meters behind him. Shirou hoped Saber didn't end up colliding with Rin and incapacitate their backup.

"You said you wanted the blonde Caster? Here's your chance." Mr. Kuzuki said, he turned to Shirou, "I'll take care of Mr. Emiya."

The Master's circled each other, Shirou could only assume that Caster was enhancing Mr. Kuzuki's physical conditioning. The assassin made the first move, dashing inside of Shirou's swords and landing a punch to his left shoulder, Shirou moved back in time to mitigate the damage, but the force was enough to dematerialize Kanshou. A flurry of straights and jabs were sent Shirou's way, who used exceptional head movement to dodge most of the blows, he could feel the force of the wind being pushed from the strikes. The last few strikes he met with his lone sword, bright red sparks emitting from the point of their contact. The two jumped back from each other before rushing back in, each trying to gain the advantage. Shirou threw Bakuya at Mr. Kuzuki's heart, opening up a point when the teacher had to side step it for him to land a solid hook to the face, and a spinning elbow to the temple. The assassin looked unfazed, even as Shirou thew hook after hook into his teacher's gut, Shirou could tell the magic of Caster was definitely to be admired. Shirou ducked a kick to the head just for it to come crashing down on the top of his head.

Shirou tried to blink the haze from his vision, only to stumble back and fall on his butt. Before he could process his position, a foot came down on his chest, pinning him to the ground. Shirou looked up to see his teacher, no the assassin Mr. Kuzuki standing over him, the same expressionless mask he always wore looking down back at him. An explosion could be heard behind them, looking up Shirou could see that Rin had finally revealed herself to Caster and was now working with Saber on the offensive.

 _He's distracted, but I'm still pinned, if I trace a weapon he'll notice,_ Shirou thought. However, something twinkling behind Mr. Kuzuki caught his eye, looking past his teacher he could see his constellation in the sky, forming itself into an arrow. It was almost subconscious and Shirou said it so low that even he could barely hear himself.

"O' Heaven."

The constellation shone bright enough that Shirou had to turn his head, so he didn't see the bright light falling from the sky, gaining incredible momentum as it reached its target. When Shirou looked again, Mr. Kuzuki was not over him anymore, instead his teacher was howling in pain as what looked to be an arrow made of pure light had impaled his leg. Caster was the next to notice and was next to her Master in an instant. It didn't take her long to dissipate the arrow and stop the bleeding, but it was obvious that Mr. Kuzuki was done fighting for the night.

"Souichirou-kun, are you alright?" Concern was in her voice, and it sounded like she was close to tears.

"I'm fine Medea, no need to worry." He replied trying to console his Servant.

Shirou stood up, looking behind him he saw Rin and Saber running to his side, but he raised a hand indicating them to stop where they were, the two looked confused but did as he asked. He turned back to Caster, taking a step forward he was instantly met with Caster's spells pointed at his face. Shirou raised his hands hoping to quell her anger.

"Taro simmered in broth" He said.

Caster looked as if he had grown a second head, "Excuse me?"

Shirou took another step, "A good meal heals the body, mind, and soul. Perfect fro a recovery. As newlywed's you're bound to cook for him eventually, and I doubt food magic is in your arsenal, though I wouldn't be surprised."

"Did I hit you too hard on the head Mr. Emiya?" Mr. Kuzuki asked, his face didn't show concern of course but Shirou could definitely hear it.

The redhead took another step, "My mythology is a little rusty, but I'm familiar with the legend of Jason and the Argonauts." Upon saying the name Jason a sneer appeared on Caster's face. "A witch indeed. You're just a woman with exceptional skill given a bad rep. I only wish to fight those that would stand in the way of peace and justice, I feel that you desire something more...intimate."

A blush appeared on Caster's face, "You don't know what you're talking about."

"There might be a way to keep you around permanently, we've discovered that a Servant from a past Grail War is still walking around, the same could be done for you."

"Liar!" She spat.

Shirou dropped his arms and smiled, "No more tricks Caster, no more deception. Be honest, if you two are truly in love then I'll do everything in my power to maintain your holy union. The way I see it, neither of you are a threat, especially if you have each other. Even if you try to kill me again, I'll only incapacitate you two, and release you when the war is over and Caster, or Mrs. Kuzuki, has a real body." Saying that, he turned around and began walking back towards the now stunned Saber and Rin.

"Mr. Emiya," Shirou turned around to Mr. Kuzuki, "why?"

A wide smile graced the redhead's face, "I made a promise, to save everybody in front of me. I'll use the Grail to ensure world peace however it may be possible. Plus if it's how I believe, there should be more than enough mana in that cup to share. Shirou Emiya, hero of justice, remember the name." He turned again and didn't look back as Caster and her Master disappeared into the night sky.

"Master! Why did you let them escape?" Saber scolded him, Rin looked to demand the same explanation.

"I signed up to save the world, not kill at my hearts content. Besides, sometimes the good guys and bad guys aren't as clear as they seem." He didn't stop walking, going past the two and down the street, leaving the two women to catch up.

"Where are you going?" Rin asked.

"Home, then to Illya." He answered.

It was Saber's turn to ask him, appearing in front of him in the blink of an eye, "What are you thinking Shirou?" She placed a hand on his chest, "Don't leave me in the dark."

"Illya's the key to all of this, and if we can sway her to our side, it'd definitely help sway Caster into peace." He said.

"Four Master's on one side?" Saber thought the idea ingenuous, if more than extremely ridiculous. The three began walking again as Shirou explained.

"I'm not entirely sure what Illya wants, but I do know I'm one of those things. I'm hoping I can calm her homicidal tendencies and get her to see reason?"

Rin looked skeptical, "And if you can't?"

He took a long breathe, "We put her down, I can't allow a bloodthirsty girl and a raging Hercules to run rampant in Fuyuki." The idea made him sick, but he knew Illya would kill him if she needed to without hesitating, and he couldn't entrust his burden on anybody else.

The three continued back into town, where they went their separate ways after Shirou and Saber dropped Rin off at her place. "Meet us at the edge of the forest in about an hour, Saber and I won't enter until you're there." Rin nodded in agreement before disappearing into her house. Shirou could see Archer from the window, he waved at the Servant who responded with a middle finger.

 _About right,_ Shirou laughed softly as he and Saber headed off. Walking through the city at night always brought Shirou tranquility, the city always seemed to breathe like sleeping giant at night. As they passed an alleyway, Shirou could hear a woman's' muffled voice, he could almost make out cries of anguish. The two looked at each other and walked down the alley, and to their shock they saw the purple haired Servant from the school, with her mouth attached to the neck of a young woman. At the notice of their arrival, the enemy Servant detached herself from the woman, leaving a trail of blood down her neck.

"Hello, lover," She said in Shirou's direction, though her eye covering didn't make things easy. "I've missed you, have you come to be mine? Or have you found another? I promise you she cannot offer the pleasures and joy I can provide." Shirou could feel his hair stand on end, and his heart felt like it was being pulled in her direction. Her body language promised to fulfill his desires, but he couldn't help but feel like he's seen this situation before. He had, the nature channel as a snake stared down its prey.

Saber didn't waste any time, shoulder rushing into the Servant, who jumped up and around her, dragging her chains with her as she went. If she was attempting to corral Saber with her chain, it didn't work. The blonde Servant grabbed the chain and wrapped it in her fist, as the purple haired Servant made to free her weapon from Saber's grip, Saber pulled on the chain with all her strength sending her enemy crashing into the wall opposite of her.

"Rider!" Shinji appeared from an adjacent alleyway to stand in front of the downed Servant. "Get up! You have to!" From his hand he opens a book, which appears to glow for a moment before encasing his Servant in electricity which seems to put her in extreme pain. "Worthless! You disgusting snake bitch, this was our chance, we won't get another one. You've ruined everything!"

Shinji raised a hand to strike his Servant, but was caught by Shirou who appeared at his side, "That's enough Shinji." First he shoved Shinji away from the Rider Servant, then kneeling down he brought her face into his hands, caressing her softly. "I'm sorry this happened to you, you deserve to fight for your wish, but not like this."

In a flash the Rider Servant was on him, and before Shirou could react, they were engaged in a battle of tongues as she kissed him. She softly bit his bottom lip as they parted, breathing a "Thank you" to him as she disappeared. A yelp arose from Shinji, Shirou turned to see the book that was in his possession burst into brilliant blue flames.

"You truly are useless. A disgrace of a Matou for sure." A gravelly voice came from behind them, Shirou knew it was Zouken but when he turned to confront the elder Matou, all that was left were a few retreating bugs. While his head was turned Shinji made to escape, Shirou didn't stop him either seeing the former Master as no more of a threat.

"Let's go Saber, we have work to do." He said, storming past his Servant with the unconscious woman in his arms, he headed for his house. "I'm getting real sick of this."

Luckily the police station was on the way home, so Shirou was able to hand her over to the authorities, explaining to them that he believed she may have been the victim of an assault. As they continued home, with Saber following behind Shirou, the blonde Servant looked at her Master being overcome with nostalgia. Shirou reminded her of herself back in Camelot. A dream of making people smile, finding happiness in bringing happiness to others. She just hoped he didn't come to regret his choices as she did. They returned home to find Taiga and Sakura in the dining room, though Shirou paid them no mind, instead heading to the shed to grab a healing potion, changing into a warmer set of clothes, then heading right back out the door.

"If I'd stopped, I might have convinced myself not to go." He told her. Saber could see the look on his face, her Master was unsure of himself, there were conflicting thoughts clouding his mind. Something happened to him tonight, something that was bugging him, she wished that she could just know what he was thinking so she could help, they were partners after all. She shouldn't have been surprised though, the encounter with Shinji, Zouken, Rider, Caster, and his teacher all in one day must have been wearing on him and he was about to face the biggest challenge of them all. When the two finally reached the forest, they were surprised to see that Rin and Archer were already there.

Archer looked over to them, rolled his eyes and turned his back. "Heard you let the Caster Servant go, some hero you are."

"Just following your lead." Shirou shot back as he walked by them and into the forest, ignoring Rin entirely.

"What's his problem?" Rin asked Saber.

"I think the length of the day is starting to show its effects." She answered.

Shirou could hear them talking about him, but he didn't care, at least not right now. They were right though, as much as he had practiced, his cardio was not where it should have been, and his Stamina was paying the green bar representing it was nearing ¾, but he was still feeling the effects from his battle with Mr. Kuzuki. But that's why he brought along Rin and Archer, the extra firepower he hoped would pick up his slack, right now he just wanted to get his little sister home and take a nice long shower.

The four of them trudged along in the snow, moving deeper into the forest. Rin was the first to talk, "So what exactly is the plan?"

Shirou knocked some snow off the top of his head, "My dad couldn't find Illya for years, and Saber says that the castle is hidden, so we'll either get hidden or she'll notice us and come runni-" A blast of snow shot into his face, and he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head before everything went black. Shirou awoke for only a second 3 times, twice all he could see was snow but he could tell he was moving. The last time he was conscious though, he was entering a large door into an even larger room, the furnishing screamed luxury and he could only imagine that this was the Einzbern mansion.

"Welcome back mistress. I hope everything was successful."

"Oh yes, I believe that I'll be having quite a lot of fun for awhile."

Then, darkness again.

 **Shirou Emiya, Level 42**

 **Health: 40/100**

 **Magic: 25/100**

 **Strength: 29/100**

 **Endurance: 50/100**

 **Dexterity: 47/100**

 **Intelligence: 30/100**

 **Wisdom: 20/100**

 **Luck: 60/100**

 **Skills:**

 **Element: Sword/Sword**

 **Resistance: Magic (5%) Curse (5%)**

 **Unlimited Blade Works: Level 4 (Locked)**

 **Passive increase in Swordsmanship**

 **6% EXP increase in Sword skills progression**

 **10% EXP increase in Archery skills progression**

 **Charisma: C+**

 **Cooking: A+**

 **Cleaning: A+**

 **Zen: D-**

 **Alaya's Favor: 0%**

 **Kenjutsu: C+ (Fighting Styles Inculded)**

 **Reinforcement Magic: C+**

 **Weapon Tracing: C-**

 **Time Alter: C**

 **Gun Fu: D**

 **Pankration: Level 3 (Instant Travel: 2%)**

 **Presence Concealment: D+**

 **Perks :**

 **Ironman**

 **Miraculous Healing**

 **Star Constellation: O' Heaven, Collapsing Star**

 **Mana Fortification**


	13. Under Siege

**I do not own any of the Fate series, the following is a non-profit fan-based parody. The Fate series is the property of Konoki Nasu, UFOTABLE, Type Moon, and Aniplex. Please support the official release.**

 **Under Siege**

"Shirou."

"Dad."

The two Emiya stood across from each other, nothing but the large expanse of darkness in between them. Shirou had been here since he lost consciousness, and decided he'd rather have some interaction with his dad than think about what Illya was doing to his unmanned body.

"I found Illya, or well, she found me. She's angry dad, real angry, and I don't know what to say to calm her." Shirou added.

"You're a smart kid, you'll figure it out." Kiritsugu replied as he pointed his Contender at Shirou, letting a bullet fly. Shirou anticipated a shot like the one that finished him last time, and had Bakuya loaded up and ready to trace to deflect it by the time Kiritsugu had pulled the trigger.

Shirou felt the impact of the bullet on his blade run along the blade and up his arm. "I find something strange." He said as he ran around Kiritsugu, stopping after full and half circles to avoid the aim of his Contender. The redhead saw an opening and rushed in, but halfway to his target Kiritsugu turned around in an instant and sending a hail of bullets from his Calico at his son.

 _Time Alter magic,_ Shirou thought as he retreated once more, resuming his circling and looking for another opening. "The Kiritsugu I know wouldn't have taken the news of me finding Illya so lightly, let alone willingly try to kill me." He rushed in again but this time at the halfway point he strafe even further to the side, avoiding the initial volley of bullets long enough to get a clean swipe into Kiritsugu's chest. Shirou didn't wait for a reaction though, activating his own Time Alter Double Accelerate. While Kiritsugu's face slowly showed the response of getting stabbed, Shirou threw Kanshou, watching as it landed on target into Kiritsugu's solar plex, his father's face still only processing the initial blow. When time resumed again at it's normal pace. Kiritsugu doubled over in pain, looking down at the sword impaled in him in shock. "Kiritsugu may have been decrepit the longer I knew him, but he was never as sloppy as you are. So, who are you really?"

Kiritsugu suddenly stopped his outcries of pain and stood up straight, addressing Shirou as if he didn't have a sword sticking out of him. "I'm Kiritsugu Emiya." Shirou blinked and then, he was looking at himself, he had to take a step back just to make sure it wasn't a reflection. "I'm you." Shirou blinked again, now it was Rin. "I'm her." He stopped blinking, but the figure never stopped changing forms, Sakura, Taiga, Shinji, he saw them all. Eventually he was again looking at his dad, Kiritsugu, though Shirou now knew much better.

"I knew there was something wrong, the 'game' hasn't always functioned consistently." Shirou said, "At first I was able to see other people levels, but over time it became less and less frequent, I'm guessing it got caught up with my progress that it forgot to keep up the facade."

"Facade?" Kiritsugu again began to change form, but this time was different. What once was a black cloak changed to a black and grey light armor set, with a red half cloak that Shirou thought looked oddly similar to Archer's. A red scarf hid some of Kiritsugu's features but Shirou could clearly see the now snow white hair and brown skin, if Shirou hadn't known better, he would have mistaken him for Archer.

 **Assassin Lvl. 80**

"Assassin now huh? Don't you think it's a little late to try to fix your mistakes?" Shirou asked.

"Don't get distracted young Emiya," The figure moved at a blinding speed, driving a combat knife through Shirou's chest before he could react, "the real fight starts now."

Shirou opened his eyes, and he was no longer in front of 'Assassin'. Looking around, Shirou could only make out the first 5 feet in front of him, after that was only shadows. He was tied up to a chair that was bolted to the ground, but his legs were kept free and his hands themselves weren't bound.

 _She's confident I won't escape,_ Shirou thought as he tried to get a look behind him to no avail. It was then that he got the distinct feeling of being watched, but the weak source of light above him seemed to cut off abruptly, keeping the shadows entrenched in pitch black. Shirou took in a deep breathe then let it out, he closed his eyes and waited. He waited for what felt like hours, but he couldn't have known for sure, all he knew was the longer he had to meditate, the better his Reinforcement became.

"It's great to see you again Onii-chan. You're looking well." A voice from the abyss arose.

"By 'well' I'm guessing you mean 'alive'." Shirou replied.

Illya slowly emerged from the shadows in front of him, hands behind her back, a playful smile on her face. "Of course! What fun is there if I can't kill you myself."

"Illya I-"

"SHUT UP! Now, Berserker," it was now that Shirou knew who had been watching him, he felt two large hands wrap around each of his arms, "if he moves, rip an arm off, but only one." Illya climbed up into Shirou's lap, her face now inches from his, he could smell that she had just washed, especially against the sweat and exertion he still smelled like. She wrapped her arms around the back of his head, a coy smirk on her face. "Now that I'm comfortable, what were saying Onii-chan."

"M-My name is Shirou," he stammered, she was so close he could swear she would feel his heart beating madly in his chest.

Illya giggled, "Ok then. Tell me Shirou, you spoke so much about how you were going to bring me home, yet you tried to storm my home with a numbers advantage, doesn't seem too friendly to me." Berserker's grip tightened.

The young Emiya spoke again, "Considering what happened last time, do you blame me?"

She raised an eyebrow, "Do you not? It was your choice to be a Master right?"

"Yeah so I did agree to take part in the War, but I never agreed to harm a hair on my little sister's head."

"Big sister." She retorted.

"Beg your pardon?" He looked at her owlishly, awaiting a response that came in the form of a nod of approval. "Well you look great." He chuckled, though Illya's expression didn't change.

' _I thought it was funny',_ he thought _._

Illya's eyes took him in long and carefully, no words were said, the only sound being the deep, heavy breathing of the enraged Servant behind him. After a few more agonizingly slow minutes, she spoke again.

"Why are you here?"

He opened his mouth, then shut it again. His eyes softened, he looked down, lowering until his forehead lay on her shoulder. A sigh of relief escaped his lips.

"It's not the hug I was looking for, but I'll take it. Like I said, my promise was to save Illya, no 'if', 'ands', or 'buts'. I'm glad you're safe, god," she could hear him sniffling, "I've been worried sick you know?"

Illya narrowed her eyes at the redhead, she moved her shoulder to signal him to look at her. When he raised his head again, his eyes were as bright as his smile, in that smile Illya found something she hadn't seen in a long time, love. "You're a fool Shirou, we're enemies in a war."

"I don't care. I know you're the Grail vessel, and if it means killing you, I don't want the Grail." His face showed a strong determination, he was certain in every word he said.

A small laugh broke Illya's lips, which grew in volume until it was echoing off the walls. "Did you think me a martyr? Oh Onii-chan, I have every intention of claiming the Grail with my own two hands."

"Yeah, all-mighty wish granting device right? There must be enough magical energy to have all of our wishes granted." She replied.

She sneered at him, "You're under the impression that I want to share. You're a Master, I've killed you once, why did you think I wouldn't do it again." She climbed back off of him, and Shirou felt Heracles grip disappear from his arms. He took a moment to readjust his body, and regain some sense of comfort as Illya looked at him coldly, arms crossed.

"You loved Kiritsugu once, I know you did. He didn't abandon you, he looked for you until the day he died. When he left you to fight in this war, he did win but for some reason he destroyed the Grail. The result was the fire ten years ago, those flames extinguished any identity I had, and made our father lame, blind, and weak."

"The Grail is corrupted, that's why Kiritsugu foolishly attempted to destroy it." She said. "Polluted by the filth of a dark entity, the Grail needs to be purified before it can be used properly. If someone were to activate the Grail before we find a way to cleanse it, the entire world could be in danger."

"Alright."

She looked mystified at the redhead, "You're taking this far too well."

"At this point, I'm not surprised by anything, I'm just taking the ride." He replied.

She joined her hands behind her back, rocking back and forth off the balls of her heels she grinned at him. "I might have a way to purify the Grail so we can use it at the end of this war. Luckily your little gamble paid off, I'm feeling generous and am prepared to extend you an offer."

It was now his turn to look at the red eyed girl skeptically, "What kind of offer?"

She stopped her rocking, now staring deeply into his eyes. Shirou felt his blood run cold and his muscles lock up, he couldn't move, the only movement allowed to him being his breathing. "The same offer that the Einzbern family offered Kiritsugu Emiya. We will call a truce and cooperate fully with one another. I will have first access to the Grail's power and you will come to me the moment I call on you. Of course you will also have to give up your Servant in the end."

"Might not be necessary, I believe that there is an extra Servant walking around, I'd like to keep Saber around for awhile after the war. I could care less about Archer, just tell him I send my regards when you kill him."

This drew an inquisitive look from the Einzbern girl, her look then turned from one of curiosity to mischief. "Oh? Are you sweet on that cute little blonde Shirou? Well then, there is one more stipulation to our agreement."

He gulped, "And that is?"

"A sample of DNA."

"I-Is that all?" He let out the breathe he had been holding, he wouldn't mind giving her some of his spit or a piece of hair. "Umm, can I know why? Actually no, I don't want to know, as long as it won't directly or indirectly have association with anything bad."

She clasped her hands together, finally breaking her gaze from him, Shirou was able to regain his motor function. "I knew you would say yes, which is why I've already taken the amount I need."

"Uhh okaayyy. So how do you know that the Grail is corrupted?" He felt the bindings slacken allowing him free roaming motion again, he took the opportunity to stand up and stretch.

"As the Grail vessel I have a connection with it, I am it. As the Servants are defeated their magical energy is concentrated into my body, eventually breaking forth to the Lesser Grail. The name unclean presence is Angra Mainyu, the first ever Avenger Servant summoned by the Einzbern's in the third Grail War. Upon his death, which was imminent as his capacity as a Servant was poor, he turned the Lesser Grail into a cursed object."

Shirou sat back down with the sudden influx of information, "Geez, you guys really know your stuff huh? Your like a walking library."

"As head of the Einzbern family I must represent it to its fullest prestige. The elders in their age have become senile, and have forgotten why the Einzbern's were in this godforsaken war in the first place, but I didn't." She began to walk away from Shirou, who stood up and raced to catch up as she exited threw a before unforseen door. He followed her up a flight of stairs into the area he had seen before passing out. It was indeed quite as lavish as he had remembered, the luxuriousness almost seemed to permeate the air, it was almost insufferable.

Shirou took it all in, "How do you keep it so clean?"

"We do not enjoy wallowing in our own filth like your kind does, human."Shirou turned to see two women glaring down on him, besides a slight color difference, they wore the same white gown, they looked like older versions of Illya.

"Leysritt, Sella, this is Shirou, my Onii-chan. Don't kill him please." She skipped along, stopping now and again to hurry Shirou along.

Shirou looked back at Sella and Leysritt, they followed close behind him as Illya led him through the labyrinth of hallways and rooms. "So, where are we going? I could've sworn the exit was that way."

"Oh no, you're going to get cleaned up, you smell like a zoo, Sella and Leysritt will take care of your bath." Illya said as she dragged Shirou along.

"Milady surely you wouldn't allow a human to use our facilities." Sella, or maybe Leysritt, Shirou couldn't tell, protested.

The Einzbern girl stopped in her tracks, turning to look her servants in the eye, "Are you questioning me?"

"N-No milady."

Illya's icy glare snapped back into a innocent smile, she opened the door in front of them, revealing a bathroom. "Don't let him leave your sight, if he goes missing, so do you, kay?"

"Yes mistress!" The twins said in unison.

"I'll be waiting for you to get clean onii-chan, best not keep me waiting to long." With that the white haired Master was gone, skipping down the hallway.

Shirou walked up to the tub and turned the knob to release the hot water. He looked back to look at the two servants, they each stood at a couple levels higher than him. Together he'd lose from basic numbers advantage, that's not even adding into the possibility of Berserker being outside that door.

' _Man I hope I'm not stuck here long_ , he thought as he took his clothes off slowly, making sure not to show anything to the two women watching. He sat in the bathtub, letting the hot water run underneath him as it filled the tub. Shirou sat back against the end of the tub and closed his eyes, focusing on the refreshingly warm water he was submerged in. The tranquility was shattered when the floor shook violently, and an explosion could be heard from somewhere in the house. The two twins were out the door in the next instant, no doubt to look for Illya. As Shirou hopped out of the tub, more explosions could be heard, the force of them rattled the room. It took a minute for Shirou to retain balance enough to get his clothes on, the explosions came again, this time closer. He raced out the door, heading towards the explosions.

' _It must be Saber and Rin, they found a way in!'_ As he turned right at the dead end of a three way, what Shirou saw was not his friends coming to his aide. No, Illya and her Servant were currently in battle with the Servant Shirou had ran into at the church. The blonde Servant was clad in brilliant gold armor, Sella and Leysritt lay in a bloody mess under his feet.

 **Archer Servant Level ?**

 **Heracles, Berserker Servant, Level ?**

' _Even with my training these guys are still too strong for me to to see their level? I gotta stay on my toes._ _Where is Illya?_ _There!'_ He could see her, standing out of the way of Archer's attacks. _Man look at those attacks! That guy is spamming swords like crazy, does he even have a limit?_

"Who gave you permission to look at me human?" The blonde Servant's remark brought Shirou to the realization that he had been spotted. The dozen swords that were sent down the hallway obliterated almost any cover he once had, they carved deep into every wall they passed through. Shirou surmised it to be just dumb luck that he survived unscathed.

"Shirou!"

He snapped his head in the direction of the voice that he knew too well, there was Saber running in his direction down the hall to his right. "Saber?"

"We have to go!" She grabbed his hand, urging him down the other hall.

Shirou resisted, "I have to help Illya, with you here we can easily take this guy down!"

"Saber?" The Archer called out, "Have you finally come to your senses?"

She looked at the fellow blonde in contempt, "Archer, we will deal with you another time."

"Do not deny me what is rightfully mine. You will remember your place, by my side." He shot back almost lazily, the unwavering confidence chilled Shirou to the bone.

Another explosion could be heard down the hall that Saber was trying to move Shirou through. Smoke billowed through the hall and from the smoke dashed Archer with Rin holding on for dear life on his back. "We need to go now!" He called to Shirou and Saber as he ran past them into the room only to stop dead in his tracks on the sight of the two Servants. "Well shit."

"Vermin, I'll exterminate the whole lot of you for your intrusion." The golden Servant upon observing the new arrivals.

"How the hell are all these people getting in my house?!" Illya cried out. "Kill him Berserker!" She pointed at the blonde Archer.

Shirou took that as their queue to leave, but as he turned to leave a sword shot by his face, he felt blood run down the bridge of his nose. It had been so close, and he didn't even see it, his knees began to feel weak. Then another crash down the hall, bringing down more wall and ceiling around them. From the rubble, what Shirou thought were black ribbons pulled themselves out. Upon closer examination though, Shirou couldn't make heads or tails of the entity that stood before them, it looked almost like a shadow with red stripes.

 **Shadow, Level ?**

The floor it touched began to turn into a swampy mess, the rot began to spread out slowly but methodically. Berserker's attention was immediately drawn to the creature, and quickly scooped up Illya and burst a hole straight through the wall to the outside. Shirou noted how Berserker reacted, it was almost like primal instinct, seeing something that's such a threat that you know running is your best chance of survival. Rin's Archer must have had the same idea, because they were already outside by the time he turned to look at them, Shirou could hear Rin protesting in the distance. All of the sudden movement drew the ire of the creature, which in speed that made Shirou dizzy followed quickly after the Servants.

 _The bastard left us_ , Shirou thought as the golden Archer brought down a rain of swords in front of the hole, blocking their escape.

"I can procure the Grail at another time, either one really. But you Saber, it would be hard to obtain you as long as that worm possesses those Command Seals." The Archer sent another volley of swords his way, only by Saber's protection did he not get harmed. She gracefully parried the projectiles as they drew near, with the burst of a lion she went on the offensive. Cleaving the air as she went for the neck of the enemy Servant, but in an instant she was deflected by another sword. Saber swung again, only to be met by another sword, she tried three more times from the back, at his knees, and at his side, all were met with the same result. Shirou made a step to move in support of his Servant, but was met with a surge of pain through his shoulder, or what was left of it. A deep gash had been carved through his flesh, the pain was excruciating and Illya had taken the potions he had brought with him.

' _This isn't good, I'm in no condition to support Saber at all, I'm a complete liability.'_

 **Tracing...**

"I respect your sword Saber, still as strong as when we first met, yes you are truly worthy of my selection!" The blonde man called out as she retreated back to Shirou's side. "Now, since the only eyes that will live to know of this are you and me, I believe you can glimpse upon my glory for a moment." He raised his arms to either side of himself, "Gate of Babylon." A brilliant crimson pillar shot from the ground behind him, stretching along the wall until it was the only thing visible behind the golden clad Servant. "All that you hold dear is rightfully mine, anything of value is made for me to claim. Such as that sword…." He reached behind him, pulling two weapons out, "you're cliched sword selection is old news to me." He raised the sword in his first hand. "This is Merodach, The Original Sin, while it may not stack up to the Noble Phantasm you possess, it still holds prestige as the original, the foundation of the sacred right to select the king."

"Shirou, we need a plan, it took considerable effort getting in the castle with that creature on us." Saber said.

 **Tracing….**

He lowered the sword and raised the sickle, "This sickle however," with a dexterous flick of his wrist, Archer swung the sickle into Saber's arm, she let out a pained grunt but stood her ground, even as he yanked it out of her body, "is just a sickle, your mana is going to be feeling it though."

 **Tracing…..**

 **Merodach saved into UBW**

 **Draining Sickle saved into UBW**

 **6 other weapons have been saved into UBW**

 **UBW is currently locked, unlock to use weapons**

' _Well shit.'_

"I'll cover you Saber, if you can get close, we might stand a chance." Shirou projected Kanshou and Bakuya, which were immediately destroyed by a identical pair of swords. He looked perplexed, first at the swords, then at Archer.

"In the beginning there was only one hero, and all the world's treasures belonged to him, the true and only king. I am the King of Heroes, Gilgamesh!" There was silence for a few seconds, then a volley of swords were shot from the gate, three of them bringing Saber to her knees. "It is appropriate to kneel, of course only the finest Noble Phantasms will suffice for you. For this worm though…" Gilgamesh shot a sword at Shirou, who had just enough time to project a sword to block it, but not one for the second or third.

Shirou could see his Health bar flashing red, his mana was half depleted, and his stamina was shot. "Arrgghhh!" His body screamed in protest as Shirou got back to his feet.

"Shirou, stay down, I will cover you." Saber tried to get to her feet, but immediately fell on her face when she tried to walk. She struggled to get her sword under as a crutch as Gilgamesh watched the display, laughing occasionally when she fell.

"If you fall, then I would lose my guiding light, that star in the sky that I dreamed to reach one day." He limped his way ever closer to her, his shoulder was aching, and the two swords had cleaved bits of his thigh and forearm.

"Fool, you are not worthy of this treasure." Gilgamesh called out to Shirou.

Saber finally made it back to her feet, "It would be honor to fight at your side Shirou."

 **Only one thing is powerful enough to stop him.**

Gilgamesh pulled from his gate a weapon that upon attempting to trace it, left Shirou with a severe headache. It was like it was from a completely different world to the young mage. "For your insolence, I will render your existence pure fiction." The weapon shone with golden brilliance that matched him perfectly, it hummed with a red energy that nearly brought Shirou to his knees.

 **The information you need is inside of you, close your eyes and imagine the strongest thing you know.**

Shirou read the words as they appeared in his view, closing his eyes he raised his hand out in front of himself. "Saber, back me up." He felt the hand of his Servant brace against the back of his shoulder. In his mind, Shirou imagined his brain as a sponge as he wrung out everything he could think of, the anxiety of the situation starting to weigh on him.

 **Deeper.**

In the dark expanse of his mind, Shirou began to see light peak from the void.

The blonde Archer stood back, charging the red swirling vortex of power into the black cylindrical weapon.

From the cracks of light, Shirou could begin to make out a brilliant blue and gold. The object was almost indiscernible in front of the blinding white light that came with it as it invaded his mind.

 **Visualize it! Visualize it now!**

"Trace on."

A dazzling golden light erupted in the room, making it impossible to see anything. When the light dissipated, Shirou could see that Gilgamesh was done charging his attack, he didn't see the shocked expression on Saber's face.

"Begone mongrel!" The torrent of energy was released from his weapon.

Shirou felt a hand grab his, he turned in time to see Saber wrap his hand around the handle of her blade. He could see she was directing them to the glowing object that stood in front of them, so he helped her with haste. As they slammed the sword down into it, Shirou noticed how it slid with such ease as if it were meant for the sword. The instant the sword's hilt touched the blinding object, everything calmed and Shirou could now make out his surroundings.

"It's…..beautiful." Spring's sunshine shone over waves of grass, a soft breeze carrying the smell of summer along his nose. Every kind of corruption or sin he had known of were incomprehensible to him, and the land before him looked to have never been stepped underfoot by man. He looked down at his body, the wounds were gone, he looked to his right where Saber stood, she too looked to have no damage.

"This is Avalon, the Land of the Eternal Spring and the utopia that I wished for all of my people." Saber remarked as they watched crystal clear water run through creeks surrounded by vibrant flowers and large, strong trees. "This is where I will end up Shirou, when my wish is granted."

"Well you deserve it."

Saber turned to look at her Master, "It may sound selfish of me, but I would like to see you here, if you are truly set on being a hero. Even heroes must rest eventually."

"All I've ever wanted is to help others, my reward was someday looking back and being able to say that I helped as best I could, but this... I couldn't wish for anything greater for someone. A world such as this... such a utopia." Shirou smiled softly at her, trying his best to sound reassuring. While the thought was nice, he couldn't help but have some shred of skepticism, this world was just a little too perfect.

She returned his smile. "Stay true to yourself, yours is the right path." She never really noticed until now, but Shirou reminded her of someone, a girl she knew from what seemed like a distant memory.

"We still have a war to win."

She blushed a little, which made Shirou chuckle. "Y-Yes you're right, let's go."

The beautiful world around them faded away, bringing them back into the destroyed Einzbern castle. Gilgamesh stood across the room, seeming to have taken a significant amount of damage. Smoke billowed off his now singed armor, he held his strange weapon in a defensive position. He gave a dirty look to the two of them before vanishing into thin air. As Avalon vanished, Shirou looked up to see his mana bar was now almost empty, and then felt the avalanche of paint that had evaded him for a few minutes returned. Shirou lost his feet as he felt his legs go numb, his body finally giving up on him.

"Shirou!" Saber caught him before he hit the ground.

"I told you we would win... and I meant it..." A haggard cough racked his body, "as long as I have you... my sword."

"And I you, my sheathe."

Consciousness left him, and he was back in the large void. Across from him stood Kiritsugu, or whatever it was that the entity really was.

"Thank you, I guess. Whatever Avalon is, you knew I could summon it and that it would be enough to hold back Gilgamesh." Shirou couldn't read the face on his father, nothing but a mask peered back at him.

" **I merely gave you a little push."**

Shirou narrowed his eyes down onto the being, "Why?"

" **I'm an interested observer. Though if you would like the power to defeat enemies of the caliber of the King of Heroes, I can happily oblige."**

Shirou's narrowed eyes turned into a full glare, "A hero jumps into the fray no matter the odds or gap in power. I will become strong enough to win those battles of my own volition."

What looked as his father grinned, " **Good, that's what I like to hear."**

 **Shirou Emiya, Level 42**

 **Health: 40/100**

 **Magic: 25/100**

 **Strength: 29/100**

 **Endurance: 50/100**

 **Dexterity: 47/100**

 **Intelligence: 30/100**

 **Wisdom: 20/100**

 **Luck: 60/100**

 **Skills:**

 **Element: Sword/Sword**

 **Resistance: Magic (5%) Curse (5%)**

 **Unlimited Blade Works: Level 4 (Locked)**

 **Passive increase in Swordsmanship**

 **6% EXP increase in Sword skills progression**

 **10% EXP increase in Archery skills progression**

 **Charisma: C+**

 **Cooking: A+**

 **Cleaning: A+**

 **Zen: D-**

 **Alaya's Favor: 0%**

 **Kenjutsu: C+ (Fighting Styles Inculded)**

 **Reinforcement Magic: C+**

 **Weapon Tracing: C-**

 **Time Alter: C**

 **Gun Fu: D**

 **Pankration: Level 3 (Instant Travel: 2%)**

 **Presence Concealment: D+**

 **Perks :**

 **Ironman**

 **Miraculous Healing**

 **Star Constellation: O' Heaven, Collapsing Star**

 **Mana Fortification**


	14. Inner Machinations

**I do not own any of the Fate series, the following is a non-profit fan-based parody. The Fate series is the property of Konoki Nasu, UFOTABLE, Type Moon, and Aniplex. Please support the official release.**

 **Author's Note: There were some complaints about my initial posting of this chapter, so I have made some revisions. Big thanks to Captn9087, Archleone, and Ezeakel, I hope this chapter is more up to snuff. If not just throw me in the worm pit with Kariya.**

 **Inner Machinations**

"I could never trust something that hides behind the faces of my loved ones, or manipulates people by messing with their head, my head."

The Kiritsugu imposter raised an eyebrow with a look of amusement on his face, " **That was not my doing. I merely offer potential, freely I might add, which you have taken with appreciable vigor."**

It was Shirou's turn to show his skepticism, "Which you've given little explanation for? Plus you keep killing me."

" **To make sure I'm not wasting my time. Due to extraordinary circumstance, the development of Shirou Emiya has become an interest of Alaya."**

Shirou remembered that he had gained a perk called 'Favor of Alaya' a while back, he now wondered the exact specifications of it.

" **I know what you're thinking, yes we put a skill in there to nudge you along**. **Don't worry though, you barely put any work into it saving a couple lives is only a drop in the bucket."** The doppelganger put his hands up, trying to disarm Shirou with his smile.

"So what exactly does it do? On top of that, what makes me so interesting?" Shirou's curiosity was peaked now, the situation was not playing out how he imagined.

" **Shirou Emiya time and again has shown to be able to perform well over his expected limits. You are an oddity of that oddity, a rare opportunity that we cannot pass up."**

Shirou didn't like the way he was being looked at, no not looked, analyzed. It was like he was a prize dog being examined for fleas, the cold calculating gaze made his skin crawl.

" **We are prepared to make an offer, one that we think you'll find hard to pass up. I know you saw it, Avalon. Do you really think that when you die that they're going to let you waltz in there, you're precious Saber ready to meet you at the gate?"**

"Well no bu-"

" **There is not enough you could do in this lifetime that can make you worthy. When you die, your soul will return to the Swirl and your promise will be broken. However, over multiple lifetimes….. that might do it."**

Silence crept in as the two men looked each other in the eye, the young man wondered if there was any truth to the words of the imposter. "Are you offering me immortality?"

" **Nothing so banal, just the opportunity to accomplish the deeds required of you."** The fake Kiritsugu opened his arms out as if to offer it to him right out of his palm.

Shirou's eyes became thin slits that his golden eyes glared. "What would you be getting out of this."

His dad put a finger to his chin, as if he didn't already have his plan completely though out, Shirou wasn't amused. " **Your service, of all the iterations of Shirou Emiya, you are the first to have received the Crest from Kiritsugu and lived, that along with your natural acclimation to enhanced power gives us reason to kick the tires on you. Bending a sword would ruin it, but treating it with care may provide ample returns on your investment."**

"So that's all you see me as, a weapon?" Shirou asked.

" **We do not meddle in sentiment, we know precision. Alaya does not give at it's leisure, you have been allotted a certain amount of mana. This will manifest through natural progression as you've been doing. However, there is a trump card we are graciously adding in."**

"How….generous."

" **Calling on Alaya for power will grant you access to a reserve of untapped mana, the amount given to you will vary of the magnitude of your need for it."**

"What's the catch?" The doppelganger tried to look hurt at the accusation but Shirou's stonewalled face gave no budge to him.

" **Using anymore than what is given will result in your immediate indoctrination."** Kiritsugu smiled, but Shirou could tell how hollow it was.

"So either I refuse and lose everything, or agree and run the risk of being stuck as your lapdog." Shirou's stomach felt like it dropped.

" **I never said we would take the power away."**

"You didn't have to."

The entity looked at the redhead, a mild sense of amusement formed on its face. " **Fair enough. We have no evil intentions Emiya, Alaya is incapable of such mundane qualities. "**

Shirou sat down, too entrenched in thought to acknowledge the absurdity of him sitting on nothingness. Shirou had only been told basic knowledge of magecraft from Kiritsugu, though he did mention Alaya as an entity similar to Gaia, and it wasn't like Gaia was out and about doing anything more than keeping the balance. He sighed, "I agree to continue using the system we've been using, but nothing more. I appreciate the aide you have provided but I have no intentions of being a slave to your whim. I'll take this power and make it my own, when people see Shirou Emiya they should know that he was, is, and always will be a hero who chose his own path. This path with you is one I have chosen, but not one I will be indebted to."

The Kiritsugu clone clapped his hands together, a victorious smile across his face. " **Great! Now, this bar will indicate the amount of power you can call on if you ever in a situation where you have no other options."** Shirou looked up to see a gold bar appear below his stamina bar, it was a tenth filled and had a bold **A** next to it. " **As you can see it is 10% filled, you didn't think you just summoned Avalon off of love and willpower did you?"**

"I was kind of hoping." Shirou mumbled. Kiritsugu turned and began to walk away.

"Hey!" Shirou called after him, but Kiritsugu did not stop, eventually he faded from sight and Shirou was alone. He began to feel everything close it on him, almost like the black void had gained form and was trying to squeeze him from existence. As he thought that about what might be his final moments, Shirou saw a light in the distance. The light began to get closer, and he could begin to feel the cold, and the sound of feet trudging in snow. Closer and closer still, he could see his breathe against the crisp cold air, and then, he was in the living world again. He felt an arm around his waist, and his view was blocked by golden locks, he could smell sweat and blood in it. He took him arm from around Saber's shoulder.

"Shirou." Saber said, her Master's sudden movements catching her by surprise.

Said Master took a few seconds to stretch and assess himself, all in all he'd say he was at 50%. His wounds were healed to the point that they didn't bleed but were still extremely sore and his mana and stamina were both near their halfway point. "Thanks Saber, but I should be carrying you, you're a machine!" He looked around, he could still see the castle not far away and a large swath of forest in disarray to the left of it. "Is that the way that Illya went?"

His Servant could already tell where he was going and was having no part of it. "Shirou, we should find Rin and Archer."

"Archer saved him and his Master, I doubt he would allow himself to be put back in danger after just getting out of it." Shirou said as he began to walk in the direction of the destroyed section of the forest.

"Was that a compliment?" Saber chuckled.

Shirou laughed with her, "The closest he'll ever get."

The two walked some ways in silence for awhile but Shirou couldn't help but feel; like something was nagging him, something he needed to get off his chest.

"When I see you I see myself, or at least who I want to be." He said, never breaking stride.

The statement caught Saber off guard, her face transitioned from one of surprise to contemplation, "I am not someone to aspire to be Shirou, be better than me."

Shirou took a deep breathe, he had expected this answer and was ready with his reply. "That's something I needed to talk to you about. It...hurts to see someone so righteous and upstanding delude themselves into thinking their wish is anything but selfish."

She stopped, Shirou knew he was in deep shit now, "Excuse me?"

He turned to face her, never breaking eye contact, she had to know, as her partner he couldn't let her keep living like this. "When I saw Avalon I thought, 'this is amazing, but far fetched."

"Are your ideals not similar to mine though? Surely you should understand why it is worth fighting for, why my wish must be made. I couldn't give my people the kind of world they deserved." She looked dejected, it hurt him to see her like this.

"I think you should fight for something more realistic, and not wish to erase a rule that, while not perfect, is incredibly favorable to most other countries in the past or present."

"But you've seen Avalon, you know the utopia is real."

Shirou shook his head, "To you yes, but for me and everyone living now and in the past it is little more than a pipe dream."

The look Saber gave him sent chills down his spine, it reminded him of Taiga whenever she thought he had upset Sakura. "So you lied back in the castle? For what? Why say you would strive for something that you think is foolish?"

"Because I don't consider it my goal, my only goal is to help those in need. To create a perfect world requires everyone to have the same mindset, no one person can accomplish it. You worked so hard to become the ideal king that you forgot what it means to be human, for yourself and others and that's why you could never build the utopia you wanted."

Saber narrowed her eyes down on the mage, "You make bold accusations, _Master_."

The change in title and attitude did not dissuade Shirou from continuing, though he now went back to walking and he was relieved that she followed along with him. "When I see you, you look so lonely."

"Wha-" He raised a hand to her, signalling her to let him finish.

"I know what it's like to have nothing more than a dream to cling to. Kiritsugu knew, and when he died, I felt that all his dreams and what he embodied died with him for a long time. I was so deep in my own self pity that I forgot exactly what he stood for to begin with. When that fire extinguished everything that I was, it was him that reminded me what it meant to be human. He didn't save me for the sake of his own ideals, no he smiled and shed tears of joy because he saved someone, just being able to help someone in any way he could was enough for him at that point."

"I see..." He didn't turn back to look at her, but he could no longer feel her glare on his back.

"I love your dream, and I will reach for it, but I'll do it by instilling that dream into others like dad did for me so that hopefully, one day, everyone will think the same. Only then could Avalon be made a reality on this Earth, it can't be done alone."

He heard her stop again, when he looked to her she was looking down at the ground, he could hear how hard she had her fists balled. "I always thought I had to be more than human. So much so that I-"

Shirou placed a hand on her shoulder, he never meant for it to get this far. "Artoria." She looked up at the sound of her true name. "Don't. I just wanted to let you know my viewpoint as your partner. I shouldn't have opened up old wounds, maybe in time, together, we can heal those too."

"Ok Shirou." She said softly, he gave her a quick, reassuring hug before they set off again.

Saber could see new life in her Master's amber eyes, a flame that was kindled had now become a raging fire. As they continued to walk along the the destroyed trees, they noticed that the amount of scorched earth was increasing. The trees looked like a stampede had run over them and a fire had finished them off, Shirou searched around with Saber in tow, and underneath a pile of logs Shirou could make out Illya's tiny form within. The pile was arranged in such a way that it covered but didn't crush her.

' _Berserker must have hid her here, but where is he. I doubt he'd allow his Master to be uncovered without putting up a fight._ Shirou signaled to Saber to scope out the area, the two of them made a quick go around and could find no trace of the enraged Greek. After confirming the area to be safe, they went to work lifting the logs off of Illya. While Shirou had noticed the effects of his training, he couldn't help a grin at the sight of a young man and woman moving fallen trees with minimal effort. The bitter cold stung his skin, but Shirou did not relent until his sister was in his embrace. Illya was breathing, and she didn't seem to take much damage, Shirou finally let out the breathe he had been holding.

"Onii-chan." Shirou just made out the whisper form his sister's lips, her skin and hair almost made her invisible amongst the snowy blankets. While he understood the risk of what would happen if Berserker followed them back to his house, the redhead couldn't imagine Hercules not being by his Master's side unless he was dead.

"Let's go home Illya." He picked up his sister, surprised by just how light she was in comparison to the amount of mana she had to have flowing through her. He and Saber then made their way out of the forest, all the while stifled by the possibility of an ambush from that black creature, which reminded Shirou…

"Hey Saber, what was that…...that thing. The way it ate away at everything, it wasn't natural."

"We're not sure, shortly after you were taken it tried to attack us while we infiltrated the castle. The attack by Gilgamesh must have lowered the defenses, we took the opportunity and so did that creature." Saber responded, remembering her battle with that thing made her shudder. She couldn't agree more with Shirou, something about it just didn't seem right.

Eventually they did make their way out of the forest and to his house. Upon entering his domain, Shirou could tell that it was being occupied, though he had a good guess on who it was. Shirou dismissed Saber to do as she wished, though the Servant remained adamant on staying at his side. They went into an empty spare bedroom and laid Illya there to rest until she could talk to them about what happened. As they walked down the hallway, Shirou figured that Sakura was finally well again based off of the activity that was emanating from the dining area. Even still Saber made him stand behind her as they entered in case of a possible ambush, though Shirou found it incredibly dubious.

"Emiya-kun, it's about time you made it back."

' _Well I can't always be right, but it would be nice to get a bone thrown my way once in a while,'_ Shirou thought as he looked perplexed at his fellow Master. What really made his head spin was how she had made herself so much at home, the TV was on and she had already helped herself to tea.

"I'm glad you're safe, I was worried something may have happened to you. Whatever you guys brought with you isn't something I want to tangle with anytime soon, though with our luck, we'll run into it tonight."

Rin's cheeks flushed a light pink at the mention of his concern, though it was quickly overtaken by an affronted look, making Shirou wonder how he could have possibly screwed up now. "I am more upset that Archer denied me a chance to fight, like I needed his saving, the idiot."

"Glad to see that he's actually useful for something." He saw a look form in Rin's eyes, it was only for a moment but he could swear he saw pure rage pass her eyes at the remark about Archer. "Maybe…..maybe he's not so bad." This didn't seem to do anything for her, the look had already passed, and Shirou felt he wouldn't get an answer from her regarding it. Rin looked over at the TV, and her face turned downtrodden and sullen. "Tohsaka? What's wrong?"

"Just watch."

Shirou didn't understand at first but the TV was on the news channel and was reporting an incident at…..Ryuudo Temple. Mr. Kuzuki had been murdered, and in such a way that no one had realized until his body had long went cold. Nobody else at the temple had even heard a commotion, which drew Shirou's doubt considering the skill of the former assassin.

Rin turned back to him, "Do you think it was Caster?"

"I-I don't think so, I think she truly loved him. In which case, that means that….." He felt a lump form in his throat, and his heart weighed a couple pounds heavier.

Saber and Rin watched as grief overcame Shirou. Everything he had said to Mr. Kuzuki and Caster, his promise, meant nothing now. He had lost two while saving one, though he didn't regret it being Illya. "I told them they could be happy together, not die in each other's arms." Rin and Saber could hear him grind his teeth as he talked. The two women watched as Shirou vented out his frustration. While they were well aware and prepared for lives to be lost in their pursuit of the Grail, Shirou, for all his big talk and progress, still thought he could save everyone.

Shirou let his breathing even out before speaking again, "We should investigate."

"Later. Don't give me that look, you've done enough." Rin said.

"Enough? Doing 'enough' got two people killed." He responded, his chest was still hot.

"And you think you're in any condition to meet that threat?" Saber interjected. "You saved Illya, do not let things you can't control confound your reasoning." Shirou could see the concern on her face, and while Rin kept cool and calculated, he knew she was probably evaluating his mental condition.

Said Master flipped a ponytail over her shoulder, "Get some rest Emiya, it's nearly noon and I can only assume you haven't had any rest."

"N-Noon?" Whatever mental pillars he had holding up his will to resist came crumbling down. He hadn't taken notice to the sun the entire time he was with Saber. For the first time Shirou looked, really looked at his companions seated by him. Rin's hair was disheveled and her eyes had heavy bags under them. Saber's usually ever vigilant gaze was now far more lazy, her eyes drifting between here and somewhere off in the distance. Realization set in on him. An overcast appeared of his eyes, he really felt like a grade A jerk at that moment. "You guys have done so much, I-I'm sorry for asking so much of you. How long were you-"

"Stop. God you can be such an idiot." Rin's voice was weary and slightly distant. She sighed, "We agreed that we wouldn't leave until we knew you were safe." She saw him raise an eyebrow, "Most of us, Archer didn't object at least."

Shirou chuckled, "Maybe I'm growing on him."

"NOT ON YOUR LIFE!" A voice from above rang out, causing Shirou to jump slightly.

He called up to his ceiling, "Get off my roof!" He received no reply, though excessively loud footsteps could be heard heading towards the front of the house. "I swear if he breaks a single shingle I'm killing him." The redhead said offhandedly.

"Don't mind him, we should be able to get some rest today, I talked to Ms. Fujimura while I waited, so she thinks you're visiting Issei in the hospital. It was….. Interesting seeing Saber in action, at my side. I see why you're so fond of her." She let a small smirk grace her tired features.

Shirou and Saber were both too tired to hide their matching blushes, nor come up with a comeback more coherent than synchronized stuttering. Rin seemed to have expended the last of her energy on that last jest, as the Master and Servant tried to explain their 'situation', her eyes began to droop more and more. Eventually, her eyes shut completely and her check out made definitive by her forehead connecting with the table with a thud.

A sigh left his lips, "Saber, go get some sleep. I'll give Rin to Archer, I'm sure he's waiting patiently at the front door by the sound of his footsteps." His Servant gave no more than a little nod of her head before drifting off towards their room. Shirou looked over at the sleeping woman on his floor, he shook his head, wondering how he got so lucky to have friends like these.

' _Speaking of friendly people'_ , he scooped Rin up, who immediately nuzzled herself into his chest, a content smile across her face. As he carried her across the room at to the front of the house, he could make out the outline of Archer just on the other side of the door. When Shirou opened the door, he couldn't help but roll his eyes at the sardonic smirk that Archer gave him when he saw Rin cuddled up in his arms.

"Why aren't you the gentleman?"

Shirou threw a smirk to match the Servant's, "What do you know about chivalry?" He stepped closer so Archer could retrieve Rin from him.

When the transferal process was complete Archer bagan to leave, but before heading off he stopped. "Shirou. Don't make Rin regret saving you."

"Aww it almost sounds like you care." He didn't wait for a reply, closing the door the second after the words left his mouth. As he walked down the hall, he thought about what Archer had told him, and if the Servant actually did care. Shirou couldn't go against his better judgement though, and chalked it up as another threat. When he finally reached his room he didn't bother changing, he went face first into his pillow, only just regarding the blonde sleeping soundly next to him enough to not fall on top of her. He was asleep in seconds.

Shirou awoke again in a start, his mind was alert and firing on all cylinders. He looked ocver to see Saber was already standing, sword drawn and at the ready.

"Shirou, you felt it too?"

He nodded his head, there was a mana source flaunting around the house, obviously trying to get there attention. The pair exited the room, from the window Shirou could tell it was now nighttime, they had slept through the day.

"Senpai?" Shirou hadn't noticed Sakura when he first came out of the room, but now he knew she was there, and she say him and Saber come out of the same room.

 _'Shit.'_ There really was no time for this, it was then that he saw Illya come from behind Sakura, rubbing her eyes, ' _She must've just woken up, how convenient.'_

"Illya." He pointed at the Einzbern mage, "look after Sakura." He left with Saber before he could see the perplexed look on the women's faces as they took notice of the other. He honestly wished he could bring Illya with him, she was an extraordinary mage and homunculi in her own right, but he was more at peace knowing that Sakura wpould be safe in case someone tried to break in while they were out. Exiting the Emiya estate, he could make out a dark figure hopping from rooftop to rooftop towards Ryuudou Temple, Saber saw it too and turned to address him.

"Your orders Shirou."

It was obviously a trap, but from what he knew no Servant they had met to this point matched the description of the cloaked individual retreating from them. Caster had made a contract with an Assassin Servant, but maybe this one was the actual Assassin Servant, it would explain the dexterous and silent gliding across the city, plus the black cloak and slight frame screamed Assassin. "We can go now and trip his trap, or wait for him ambush us later."

"As a Saber Servant, I am at a better advantage in direct confrontation, though I cannot perform effectively if you are in peril."

He would be in peril no matter the situation was the thought that came to his mind, and in the end, his tenacity won out over caution and common sense. "Let's go."

It took a little time to get to the Temple, but Shirou and Saber remained laser focused as they ascended the stone steps. When they reached the top of the steps, they were greeted by Zouken Matou and the cloaked figure that had caught their attention.

 **True Assassin Lv. 60**

Shirou looked to Saber, she returned his gaze, without saying a word they knew that they would split Zouken and his Servant. However before they could put their plan into action, black tendrils shot out from the distance, crashing into the ground where they once stood. Looking over to his Servant he could see Saber was now in combat with both Assassin and the black tendrils that looked eerily similar to the shadow creature they encountered before at the Einzbern castle. The long appendage that had came after him began to resume it's chase, making Shirou jump up onto the rooftop to get away as it destroyed the roofing behind in pursuit of him. When another came up to block off his progress, Shirou jumped off from the roof and ran towards Zouken, Shirou hoped that in the confusion he would get a chance to take down the decrepit old man. The elder Matou would have none of it though, dispersing into a swarm of bugs as Shirou approached with the Shadow's arms in hot pursuit. The mage didn't stop moving, he could no longer see Saber, he guessed that she tried to draw Assassin and the Shadow away to give him a better shot at Zouken, he honestly wished she would have stayed closer though. Shirou didn't want to take any chances, so he used one of his Command Spells to bolster her strength, while he couldn't see the effects it had, he was sure that Saber was grateful for the additional boost in power. While Shirou was caught up in the novelty of using his first Command Spell, he didn't notice the tendril that blind sided him from his left, sending him hurtling into one of the rooms of the temple. Once inside, the first thing he realized was that Zouken was now standing in front of him, so he wasted no time producing Kanshou, he would have no words with the old man, only his defeat would satisfy Shirou. Even as Shirou used all the combat tactics in his arsenal appropriate for the confined space, Shirou couldn't seem to damage Zouken farther than killing a few of the worms that made up his entire body, the stagnant process began to irritate him to no end.

"Can you feel it? Your Servant being gone?" Zouken asked, a smirk plastered on his aging face.

"What the hell are...you...talking..." Shirou took notice that instead of having two Command Spells, he now had none. A cold sense of dread began to creep up his spine as the senior let out a dry laugh. The dread Shirou had was quickly replaced with anger, he was seeing red and at that moment wanted nothing more than to split the Matou patriarch in half with his swords. Seething, Shirou again wen to attack Zouken, only this time he was met with a swift and violent kick to the stomach that sent him hard into the opposite wall. Shirou went to stand, but found that the return of a previous injury from his fight with Gilgamesh along with the pain in his stomach made it almost impossible. The Assassin Servant made for the finishing blow, Shirou looked on as he could still feel nothing more than seething anger coursing through him. He closed his eyes and waited for death to come, and Alaya to capture his soul, but the moment never came. Instead, Shirou was thrown backward from the force of Assassin's attack being countered by Rider, seeing the purple haired Servant brought equal parts relief and terror.

Rider Lv. 88

'Oh.' Shirou never noticed how high of a level she was, with how thoroughly Saber had beaten her he didn't even bother to check. What didn't add up was just how capable of a Servant she really was, he had managed to get a blow on her and along with Saber's victory it made sense to think she was one of the more weaker ones. His doubts were being completely erased with her current showing of strength and adeptness. She moved like a blur, he could tell that Assassin couldn't keep up as he never even got a chance to move. Before any of the men present could understand what was happening, Rider had Assassin impaled with her dagger, something that gave Shirou an unwanted sense of nostalgia.

 **Tracing…..**

Shirou watched on in amazement as Rider proceeded to use the Assassin as little more than a plaything, sending him up and back down into the ground with incredible strength, she whipped him from wall to wall it looked like she was determined to leave him splattered on the interior. Upon seeing that they were in more danger than he had planned, Zouken withdrew into the night as a swarm of bugs, though Shirou did try to throw a sword at the retreating man anyway. After Assassin retreated along with his Master, Rider turned to look back at Shirou, then at the floor which was now stained with his blood from the reopened wound.

"Are you all right?" Her tone had not a hint of concern in it.

He stood up, favoring his ribs, "Yeah, nothing some R&R and cough syrup can't fix."

"You shouldn't jest boy, you have no Servant and I doubt my Master can send me to your aid every time you are attacked."

She was gone before he could reply, almost as if she had never been there in the first place. As Shirou stood there in the snow, realization began to sink in, looking at his hand again he saw there were indeed no Command Spells anymore. His knees gave out from under him, and he felt every ounce of strength leave him nothing more than a husk of anger and despondency. He didn't know what to do, what to say, all he could do was sit there, his mind a raw nerve of emotion. The walk home was a quiet one, every now and again he would look over to his side expecting to see the blonde hair and jade eyes he had grown to know so well. As he approached the house, he could make out Sakura running towards him through half-lidded eyes, whe she reached him she immediately wrapped her arms around him. He could feel her heartbeat, it soothed him as he felt his heart begin to burst, though Shirou swore he would not cry, it wouldn't be what Saber wanted, she would want him to stand strong even among times as grim as now.

"It's so cold, and…..you're hurt. Oh, Senpai….." He could now feel tears, but they weren't his, he looked down and saw that Sakura was gently crying into him. "Please, whatever it is that you're doing, please stop. I- I can't bear to see you hurt, just…..come inside. Please." Her last plea was small and almost nonexistent, but Shirou heard the fear, the concern, it brought him back to life as if a dying fire had retained a few embers, just enough.

"Ok Sakura," he said softly. He let her help him to his feet and lead him back into the house, though he felt it was going to be far more empty now.

 **Shirou Emiya, Level 42**

 **Health: 40/100**

 **Magic: 25/100**

 **Strength: 29/100**

 **Endurance: 50/100**

 **Dexterity: 47/100**

 **Intelligence: 30/100**

 **Wisdom: 20/100**

 **Luck: 60/100**

 **Skills:**

 **Element: Sword/Sword**

 **Resistance: Magic (5%) Curse (5%)**

 **Unlimited Blade Works: Level 4 (Locked)**

 **Passive increase in Swordsmanship**

 **6% EXP increase in Sword skills progression**

 **10% EXP increase in Archery skills progression**

 **Charisma: C+**

 **Cooking: A+**

 **Cleaning: A+**

 **Zen: D-**

 **Alaya's Favor: 10%**

 **Kenjutsu: C+ (Fighting Styles Inculded)**

 **Reinforcement Magic: C+**

 **Weapon Tracing: C-**

 **Time Alter: C**

 **Gun Fu: D**

 **Pankration: Level 3 (Instant Travel: 2%)**

 **Presence Concealment: D+**

 **Perks :**

 **Ironman**

 **Miraculous Healing**

 **Star Constellation: O' Heaven, Collapsing Star**

 **Mana Fortification**


	15. Matou House of Horrors

**I do not own any of the Fate series, the following is a non-profit fan-based parody. The Fate series is the property of Konoki Nasu, UFOTABLE, Type Moon, and Aniplex. Please support the official release.**

 **The Matou House of Horrors**

Shirou spent the rest of that night with his head in Sakura's lap, he had told her to tell him about her day, her week, anything to get his mind off of…. She absentmindedly played with his hair as she recalled the time she spent cleaning the house, this continued throughout the night, he wouldn't talk at all besides the occasional 'hmm' to let her her know he was still listening. Illya stood nearby, looking over him cautiously, he could tell she knew that he was no longer a Master but he would talk with her about that later. For tonight, he just wanted to forget, about the war, about Saber, about everything.

 **You have unspent skill points**

The next morning Shirou woke from his slumber to find the area next to his bed eerily vacant, it had been around 10 days and yet the blonde Servant had burrowed her way into his life and now she was stuck like a tick. He knew that eventually she would have to go, and that when it came down to it, she wasn't entirely real but to him she had been real enough, too real in fact.

 **You have unspent skill points**

Shirou rolled his eyes as he lay in bed, that was the third time he had gotten the message. He hadn't used the leveling system in a few days, and quite frankly the thought still made him a little sick to his stomach.

 **Shirou.**

' _Oh hell no.'_

 **With you currently Servantless, there is an open connection that is not being used, we have moved into that space.**

' _So what does that mean exactly?'_

 **Constant communication. When needed of course.**

' _Is there a mute button?'_

… **.no. You haven't used your skill points, you currently have 5. If you are to continue in this War you need to improve.**

' _I never said I would keep buying into the videogame. Last thing I need is you sinking your claws deeper into me.'_

' **Zouken is still out there, Gilgamesh, Kotomine, Rider, Assassin, they all are running rampant. Now stop feeling sorry for yourself and act like the hero you so proudly claimed to be.**

Shirou rolled out of bed, getting up and doing his routine morning stretches. As much as he hated to admit it, the observer had a point, he had been just getting by up to this point. He had started to neglect his training while he was caught up in the events that transpired leading up to this day. He sighed, pulling up the menu to look at the skills to see if there was anything that would catch his eye. He knew one thing for sure, his fighting skills would have to improve drastically if he was going to run around the city with no Servant, and it wasn't possible to sneak past them.

 **Pankration increased to Level 4**

 **Godspeed increased to Level 4**

 **Dexterity has been increased by 5, Dexterity cost for physical attacks has decreased by 10%, instantaneous travel increase to 10% chance**

That should help him out there, he was fast enough to dodge the shadow for some time so he was confident in his fitness for now. Shirou considered his magecraft, he had been using Kanshou and Bakuya extensively while he tried to figure out how to unlock Unlimited Blade Works.

 **Unlimited Blade Works increased to Level 7, increase in passive sword and archery skills and progression**

 **Speed had been increased by 20%**

 **Kenjutsu has been increased to B**

 **Weapon Tracing has been increased to B**

 **You have unlocked the skill, Quick Fire Projection. Allows successive projection of weapons (similar or not), speed and damage of projection increases with each projectile that hits your enemy by 2%**

It seemed that the game had taken notice to his love for throwing his swords, Shirou didn't know why but it just felt right having swords as projectiles, even if it was unconventional. While he had maxed out his Unlimited Blade Works with the last of his skill points, this skill combined with his Mana Fortification would prove to be a boon in the battles to come. He figured that increasing the Mana Fortification along with his Projection skills would eventually get him to a point where he could call upon an endless supply of weapons, and if Unlimited Blade Works ever stopped being stingy and unlocked itself, he would have a wider array of weapons at his disposal. Shirou threw a few punches and kicks into the air, finding his newly found strength and speed to his liking.

' _Would it have been enough to save Saber?'_ He shook the thought from his mind, ' _She wouldn't want this, I still have a promise to keep to her. Be a hero, help people, reach Avalon, simple enough.'_ He groaned to himself, he knew all of this was a longshot that had gotten even longer after his most recent defeat. Thinking that some breakfast would ease his mind, Shirou went to the kitchen to prepare the morning meal. While cooking, he was interrupted by what he knew to be the voice of his sister.

"So she's gone huh?" He didn't look back at her, instead focusing his attention on his cooking.

"Yeah." Shirou replied softly.

There was a little pause, he began to wonder if she had left. "Berserker is gone to."

Shirou allowed himself a laugh, "To be honest I hoped as much as I feared that. I don't think the house could take it."

"Are you kidding? The castle couldn't take it." The next laugh they shared together, it felt look to Shirou. "Thank you for coming back for me."

"We're family, what happened in the past won't affect the fact that I love you."

He felt small arms wrap around him, and Illya's face buried in his back. "You're a fool Shirou, what I let Berserker do….."

"Deathmatch between mages for the right to have any wish your heart desires. It's… understandable how you weighed the situation. Now let go, unless you plan on helping me with the food." The arms disappeared behind his back and when he turned around there stood Illya, beaming a smile that warmed his heart.

"I'd love to onii-chan."

' _This feels right.'_

"You WILL NOT be missing another day of school! Do you want to end up a drop out?" Taiga slammed her hands down on the table, the three younger residents of the Emiya house looked on in terror at the waves of intensity rolling off her. She cleared her throat and like that she was back to normal, "Forgive me Illya, I don't want you to think I'm too harsh on him, but education is top priority at this point in a young man's life."

' _If only you knew.'_ He was just happy she rolled with Illya's sudden appearance so well. The Einzbern had an amazing memory, and was easily able to satisfy Taiga with her recollections of Kiritsugu.

"C'mon onee-san, I just want to get Illya acclimated to the city. Rin and Sakura have been really great helping me keep on top of my schoolwork. Speaking of which, are you feeling better Sakura?" Shirou put the back of his hand up to her forehead, causing her face to turn a nice shade of red. Still feeling in high spirits, Shirou decided he would mess with her a little when he noticed the blush. He got close enough to Sakura that he could almost feel her breathe on his lips. "I've heard that something might be getting passed around, who've you been kissing Sakura?"

Shirou wasn't sure if she could get any redder, Taiga looked on, actually curious if Shirou's question held any validity. He saw a flash of realization go across Sakura's eyes, then her expression became cool, then puzzled. "Only you Shirou, but you seem fine."

The Emiya head choked on his food, sputtering and flailing wildly. Sakura, realizing the effect her joke had, immediately rushed to his aid, trying her best to help him breathe again. Illya and Taiga just looked on in fascination ast the strange sight, that is until Shirou finally choked down his food and sighed in content on the floor.

Sakura shared in his relief, chuckling lightly, "You had me worried there Senpai."

"Ahem."

Shirou and Sakura looked at Illya, who looked back at them with an eyebrow raised. It was then that they realized the position they were in, with Shirou lying flat on the ground with Sakura kneeling overtop with her hands on his chest. They quickly rearranged themselves to back in a proper order, their collective faces redder than tomatoes.

"S-Sorry Senpai."

Shirou quickly waved his hands dismissively, trying his best to look innocent. "No, no I would've died without your help, thank you." Taiga was glaring daggers at him, Illya was doing the same to Sakura, he had to defuse this, now. "I mean it's not like you two helped."

Illya's expression did not change, "It looked like you were getting all the help you need, onii-chan."

"We are sorry Illya, Ms. Fujimura, it was an accident."

Taiga's features relaxed, "Well if it was an accident, there's not much we can do." She shrugged her shoulders and went back to eating her food. Illya continued to look between the pair for a little while longer before she too went back to eating.

Shirou let out an inward sigh, he would live to see another day.

Once they finished eating, and the dishes were washed, Sakura and Taiga went to the front door to head out. Taiga turned to face Shirou and Illya who stood with them in the hall.

"Have fun you two!" She beamed them a smile, Sakura offered one too. Then they were off, Shirou and Illya stayed at the door until their figures disappeared down the street.

Shirou patted his older sister on the back. "Thanks for covering for me Illya."

"Don't mention it, just as long as you remember to take me to the park on the weekend." She pointed at him, she expected him to keep his word. "Why do you need the day off?"

"Illya I have to keep fighting in this war, to protect you, Sakura, the people of Fuyuki, you're all in danger. Even if I can't fight in a head up right now, I can still assist Rin and Archer, I need more time to train though."

Illya shook her head, "I don't understand your persistence to help others, nor do I approve reentering the war without Saber."

Shirou knew there was no way he could convince her, he had to tell her the truth. "Listen I know it's going to sound crazy but….. I think Alaya might be pulling strings from behind the scenes. It's given me the power and opportunity to make a difference."

"You're right that is crazy, agents of Alaya aren't heroes Shirou. Counter Guardians are just lap dogs, an extension of Alaya's will," She narrowed her eyes at him, "you didn't make some kind of deal did you?"

He shook his head rapidly, "No, no, but remember the last time we fought. Saber and I fought off the Archer Servant that broke into your castle, could I do that as an average magus?" He didn't bother adding in the sheer luck of that victory, but the that wasn't something she needed to know.

"It is certainly impressive, I just assumed Saber did all the work while you hid." Shirou's eye twitched at the slight insult, though Illya paid him no mind. "Even still, if this is true and there is power beyond our control at work, you need to be careful. Humans, gods, entities of unrivaled power, it doesn't matter, those with power are bound to make moves that are in their best interest."

"Yeah I figured as much, it said what I was doing was to both of our interests." He scoffed, even now the entire thing was far-fetched, plus there was the new gold bar hanging in the corner of his sight.

Illya crossed her arms, "...and what are you getting out of this? Power?"

Shirou looked down at his hands. "The chance to be a hero, I mean a real hero, like Saber and Heracles. I mean, how much mystery is out there in the world these days? There's no sword in the stone for me to pull, no ancient beast whose blood I can bathe in, this is my chance. Every hero had a point where they had to step off the edge of the known and dive into something beyond their comprehension. Even if the Grail is out of my reach, it's still worth the gamble if I keep my wits about me, because the payoff is incredible."

"I see…." The white haired girl didn't say anything for a minute, the entire time there was nothing but an unbearable silence. "Indeed with Leys and Sella now…. Dead, it makes it difficult to use the Grail without killing me, although…"

Shirou leaned forward, "You've got an idea?"

"As a Grail vessel I am a receiver for all the leftover prana a Servant disperses upon death. When Berserker was fighting the Shadow though, and the night you lost Saber, I didn't feel that energy come to me." She placed a hand on her chin, "But I definitely recognize trace amounts of prana from an Assassin Servant, though not nearly as much as it should be."

"The Assassin Servant is working with Zouken, along with the Shadow. Do you think the Shadow took Berserker and Saber's prana?"

"Not sure about that, but you don't just take down two of the strongest Servants in the war as a pushover, and it would make sense how it is able to keep up. Plus it stinks with Angra Mainyu's presence, not a good sign."

That made Shirou think, if Alaya was influencing the events of the war, what's to say the tainted Grail wasn't doing the same. "If this thing is as strong as we're making it out to be, then it should be last on our list."

Illya raised an eyebrow, "Our?"

"Figured I didn't need to convince you." He shrugged his shoulders.

Illya chuckled, "Yeah i guess you're right. So then what's first on the list?"

Shirou and Illya began walking down the hall, "Zouken. We take him down, Assassin goes with him, two birds as they say. If we're lucky and can catch him in the Matou residence, and burn it down while he's trapped inside."

 **I thought Shirou Emiya didn't kill people?**

He shook his head, talking now to Illya and the 'observer'. "Zouken is a parasite who had forsaken his humanity a long time ago, I wouldn't even consider it murder, more pest control really." They stepped out of the house and headed towards the dojo,

"Well let me know when you and Tohsaka have something prepared, I'll offer any services I can spare." She gave him a hug before running back into the house.

Shirou stepped into the dojo, he let the silence envelop him, a silent prayer for his lost mentor. Before he started his workout, Shirou decided he would ramp up the difficulty of his training, he needed to push himself to his limit and surpass that. Shirou projected Banshou and Kaguya, while he held them he noticed that they seemed _empty,_ like he created a hard shell but nothing else. So while held them, he tried to push his mana into the sword, he watched as his mana bar drain to nearly half.

' _So it takes 25% of my mana bar for each weapon, and from how it feels if I push in too much the shell will begin to crack. Interesting, in that case-'_ Shirou held the swords gingerly, he knew if he so much as dropped them wrong, the amount of magical energy released at once could kill him.

 **You've discovered Broken Phantasm: The Destroyed Illusion, projected NP's will not suffer any downgrade, but will explode on impact. XP gained**

Shirou shook his head, he didn't like it, it took way too long to prepare so it was useless in the midst of battle. He would have to get better, a lot better if he wanted to make it useful, it's potential was enticing after all. He decided he would leave the swords there and see how long he could keep up with the reinforced projections before he lost control of the mana flow. So he went to his more traditional exercises. Push ups, sit ups, Shirou does his entire morning workout routine, then does another set to cover for Saber's absence. After that came the fun part, a jog around the city. As much as he hated running, he did enjoy taking in the bustling metropolis that was downtown. While in the middle of the joh, Shirou took a right down a street and by a fish market, though the redhead then stopped in his tracks and proceeded to back up, something was off. He stopped back at the fish market, and deadpanned at the person running the vendor.

"What the hell are you doing?"

The brown skinned, white haired fish vendor replied, "Fetching you."

Shirou raised an eyebrow, "You decided to get a job while you waited?"

The Archer Servant quirked an irritated eyebrow at him, "Rin thought it would be more efficient if I tried to 'hide in plain sight'."

The redhead smiled, "How's the business been so far today?"

Archer took off his uniform, "Hey old man, I quit!" He began walking away from the stand, leaving one rather confused shopkeeper in his wake, Shirou quickly followed after him.

He finally caught up with him, they then walked some ways before Shirou decided to break the silence."So how did you know where I was going to be?"

"Rin said she was sure you would be there, said you were really predictable."

A vein bulged out on Shirou's forehead. "She doesn't even know me, where does she get the nerve-"

"She said you'd say that too. She told me to tell you, 'With as many times as she has saved you, you're basically an investment whose owner is Rin Tohsaka.'"

Shirou shook his head, "Are you making this up?"

He watched as Archer pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and handed it to him. Sure enough everything they had said was on the paper, it made him think either he needed to sharpen up or the Tohsaka heir was clairevoyant.

"So you lost Saber. How?" His question cut through everything else, the tone in the air just became dead serious.

Shirou realized that there were now no Command Spells on his hand, something he would have to used too. "We tried to fight Zouken, turns out the Shadow is aligned with him."

Archer scrunched his face in contemplation, "I understand, fighting that thing brings true terror to my heart. It feels wrong, like everything that I am is a filthy lie, it is corruption."

"How'd you guys get away?"

"Luckily that beast went after the Einzbern and her Berserker. That man that was fighting with Berserker, his name is-"

"Gilgamesh, King of Heroes, yeah we got the entire spiel from him while he used me as a pin cushion." He placed a hand to his chest, over the scar that hadn't fully healed from that fight.

Archer looked over the boy carefully, "Yet you still live, how did you accomplish that?"

"Avalon." Shirou looked on absentmindedly, "I projected Saber's sheathe, it had the power to repel and redirect a particularly nasty attack with our names on it."

"I see, well I have to admit that that's rather an impressive feat." Archer's eyes never left the redhead, still examining him like his form was going to change any second.

"You survived that, and the Shadow, but I believe I saw that school was in session today, shouldn't you be resuming your normal daily activities?"

Shirou shook his head, "I'm not completely useless, Zouken Matou has shown me that the machinations of a single person can turn the tide of a war, we can turn it back. He may have had time but we have talent, tenacity, and the best Servant remaining." He nudged his elbow against Archer, who rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Thank you for the backhanded compliment."

They could begin to see the Tohsaka residence coming into view down the street. "No problem." Shirou placed his hands behind his head and walked with his eyes closed. "I don't know how we're connected and I honestly don't care." He could feel Archer's eyes on him now, "The similarities are too much to ignore, and I have a strong affinity for your style of combat, maybe we're just a good fit. Even still, I'm having a problem, I can trace and save weapons that I come across, but I'm unable to recreate any but a set of swords, your swords." He opened his eyes to look at the brown orbs staring at him through slitted eyelids. "Can you help me?"

"I won't-"

"I'll repeat myself, I don't care about you, just what you can do to help me. This is about strengthening the group, not fulfilling petty vendetta's, or being an asshole just for the hell of it."

The two stopped in front of Tohsaka's door, Archer looked down at Shirou, a hint of annoyance and anger peeked through his eyes. "You have some nerve, I could kill you right now."

"I promise it won't be as easy as you think." Shirou shot back. "Besides Rin would kill you afterwards anyway, that's if you make it by me."

The growing snarl on Archer's face settled back into his usual condescending smirk. "You're a terrible liar."

Shirou scratched the back of head and chuckled sheepishly, "Gotta fake it until you make it right? So can you help me?" Archer didn't respond, instead looking over Shirou carefully before placing a hand on either side of his head. He watched as Archer closed his eyes and scrunched his face in concentration, Shirou didn't have to wait long as he felt a shock go through his spine and to his brain. Shirou doubled over, clutching his head as the pain coursed through him, it felt like a stream of molten iron was flowing through his skull.

"Overcome the pain or it will consume and kill you, whether that happens is up to you." Archer looked down at the dilapidated redhead once more before opening the door to step inside. "Try not to die on Rin's doorstep, crawl over to a bush if you feel yourself giving in." The door closed behind the servant as Shirou fought through the waves of pain coursing through him.

The agony he felt was unbearable, Shirou wanted to pound his head into the pavement to make it stop. He felt the world begin to slip from his conscious, it was like he was falling out of his own body.

' _No, this is nothing, nothing compared to what others have been through._ Shirou thought of the first night he met Saber, fresh from a bloody landscape she still stood tall ready to fight for him. Then his dad, broken and polluted by the Grail, still cutting his hands and losing his nails to remove the rubble from his small body. Shirou clenched his teeth, this would not be the end of him, just another speed bump. He couldn't stop the pain so he focused on steadying his breathing, when he had that under control he found that the pain had subsided slightly. So seeing the progress he went to regaining control of his legs that had given out from under him, soon he had proper control of his body again, and the pain in him was now just a migraine, terrible but manageable.

 **Saved weapons in Unlimited Blade Works are now available.**

 **Weapons Category gained! You can now set your default projection weapon or choose from the your Weapons section.**

"Having fun out here?"

Shirou looked up from the ground to see Rin looking over him quizzically with a hand on her hip. "Tohsaka, you really aren't a morning person are you?"

Surely she did look a mess, her usually pristine and flawless features looked disheveled and worn, and her hair looked like a tangled jungle. Shirou was so focused on her features that he didn't notice the fist she had cocked back until it was too late. She sent him tumbling down the steps as she approached him, cracking her knuckles. "You know it's rude to make such remarks about a woman?"

"But a woman such as yourself shouldn't find offense, I mean you're beautiful regardless, I was just pointing out what you said yourself remember?" Shirou was now on his feet, holding each of Rin hands to try to stop any further damage.

Rin let out a sigh before snatching her hands away and heading back up the steps with Shirou in tow. "You really are an idiot you know that? But…. thank you for the compliment. Anyway, Archer tells me that you lost my Saber Servant."

Shirou clenched his fists, he was doing well so far in keeping his emotions in check. "Yeah, we were ambushed, Zouken and the Shadow are working together. I was thinking we could pay the Matou's a visit, if we can take out Zouken and Assassin, dealing with the Shadow will be that much easier."

Rin shook her head, Shirou was so stressed that he hadn't even noticed her dig about Saber. In a strange way, she felt for the former Master, Archer had begun to grow on her lately, she never really considered that he could die any day. "You're in no condition to do anything."

They were now walking into the living room where Archer was lounging on the couch, staring off into space. When the Servant saw the redhead his eyes grew wide, then quickly back to a disinterested expression, though Shirou could swear that Archer was grinding his teeth. Shirou turned back to Rin, "It was determination and foolish confidence that lost me Saber, but it's also what had gotten us to this point, Saber was always ready for a fight. To go against that now, when her retribution is this close would be an insult to her pride as a warrior. I'm no fool though, after this I have every intention of resting, but only after this." He looked over to Archer, "Plus I feel like I can really make a difference now."

Rin looked from Shirou to Archer and back to Shirou, "You guys are weird about each other, maybe we should've switched Servants."

"We still can, I'll trade you Miss Fujimura." Shirou offered.

The Tohsaka heir laughed, "The Tiger of Fuyuki? Hell she might actually be better at hand to hand combat than Archer."

"Excuse me?"

Rin stomped over to her Servant, digging a finger into his chest. "Emiya has been fighting nonstop, he even has a _win_ over the King of Heroes. What do we have? Every time we run into a Servant you pick me up and run away."

Shirou raised an eyebrow at Archer, who did the same to Rin. "Is that right? You're alive aren't you?"

"I don't care about living! I want to win!" She yelled at him, "Emiya, go upstairs, first door on the left, get some sleep and we'll wake you up when we have a plan. As for you-"

Shirou didn't stay to watch the rest, though he really wanted to, heading up to the bedroom that Rin described. Laying his admittedly heavy head on the soft pillow, he looked around the room in slight awe, the red overtones over luxury furniture spoke to the wealth at Rin's possession. He let the sound of the still heated Rin chewing out her Servant carry him to sleep. He made sure to choose **Sleep** , last thing he wanted was to chat with the 'observer'.

"Berserker, Saber, Caster, and not one of them was by me! Do you know how humiliating -"

 **You have slept and gained the Well Rested perk for rest of the day**

 **Stamina, Health, Mana Regen +20%**

 **Remnants of an ancient power have been depleted, Healing boosts and Health regen increases have been deactivated.**

 **Last Embers activated, you have gained one final Full Heal, all injuries and negative effects have been healed.**

' _Makes sense, I started magically healing when Saber showed up, I'd lose it when she left.'_ Shirou thought bitterly, though thankful for that last heal, he felt like he could take on the world. While he lay there laying in the bed, he decided he wanted to change up his weapons. He pulled up the menu and clicked on the new **Weapons**.

' _Not a bad selection to start out with.'_ He wheeled through the weapons at his disposal: **Moralltach, Excalibur, Archer's Bow, Caliburn, Caladabolg, Merodach, Ascalon,** the list was impressive but he noticed some were impossible to project, something that irked Shirou incredibly.

 **Merodach, Anti-Unit/Anti-Fortress**

 **Rank: B/A (Broken)**

 **Will inflict demonic light damage to all B/B+ enemies and weapons**

 **Would you like to save as default?**

As much as Shirou wanted to, it would take too much mana to keep making something so taxing that's so fragile. He closed the menu and got out of bed, he walked down the steps and into the living room where Archer and Rin sat meditating.

Rin opened an single eye at him, "Good you're awake, sit down so we can go over the plan." Shirou did as he was told, her single eye never left him. "We don't know much about the estate, and asking Sakura would cause her to freak out I'm sure. So we'll go in through the front door, the house hasn't shown signs of the rotting that the creature gives off so I don't believe it is inside." She stood up, so did Archer, Shirou looked at them quizzically.

"W-What now?"

Archer smirked, "No time like the present."

So the three set off Archer hopped up to the rooftops, and was shocked to see that Shirou was up there with him. The redhead looked nonchalantly at him, "What? Two sets of eyes are better than one, consider me your decoy, considering I'm not as fast as you."

Rin looked like she had a question, but quickly shoot it off, Archer did the same. Shirou honestly wanted a chance to see exactly how well his abilities were going for him. While he lacked the grace that Archer had, Shirou was able to traverse the city rooftops with only moderate difficulty. The wind whipping in his face, keeping track of his footing, the wires going over houses, making sure no one saw him, the Servants definitely made it look easy. When he ran out of rooftop he jumped from the edge onto the back of Archer would was also dropping to the ground.

"Get off of me!"

Shirou chuckled, "Yeah sure, no problem. Sorry about that."

"If you two are done, it's time to get down to business." The three stood in front of the gate to the Matou residence, "So the plan will be to map out the house firstly, if we come across anything hostile we eliminate them if possible. I want to know the ins and outs of this house. Let's try to make it quick too, the longer we stay the likelier we end up in a trap, also what's in the bag Emiya?"

"Something that should come in handy if we get in a pinch," Shirou spoke as they crossed over the threshold, he slung the bag he was carrying over his shoulder. "I doubt he'd expect a mage who just lost their Servant to storm his house, hopefully the element of surprise is ours."

"Not if you keep talking so loud." Rin hissed, causing Shirou to clamp a hand over his mouth. They made their way through the house, which looked lived in but hardly used. Dust wasn't settled over the majority of the furniture but it did look like someone prefered to clean them rather than use them. All in all Shirou would have guessed that this was about as average a house for a maniacal bug mage as you can get, not too flashy but enough to be presentable to any guests. The sparse lighting casts the shadows in an eerie glow, and the silence except their footsteps and breathing began to unnerve them. They checked room after room but finding nothing of interest, though Shirou had Rin go into Sakura's room and grab a couple changes of clothes.

"She's your sister…" was his excuse, which surprisingly worked as Rin, irritated and all, retrieved the clothes. After making their way through the house with no sign of any creepy old men, they finally stopped at the door to the basement. They had been saving this door for last, it was the only door left so their was likely no other way out after they walked through.

"Rin stay up here," He handed her a box of matches, "if I don't make it back in 15 minutes, burn the place down." He placed the bag he had over his shoulder down, opening it he showed the two of them it was full of gasoline cans. "I had to keep them sealed tight, figured if you guys couldn't smell it then Zouken wouldn't be able to either." He slid the bag over to Rin, looking her in the eyes, he had to make sure she understood.

She gave Shirou a nod before turning to Archer, "You're going down there with him of course." The Servant made to protest but fought it back when the look on her face stayed hard and expressionless.

Shirou and Archer descended the stairs, there was no light for the first few turns going down until they reached a huge clearing. The steps continued down into a large pit that made up most of the huge room, looking down Shirou could've sworn that the floor was moving at the bottom. Shirou went to go down the stairs and look closer, but was halted by Archer.

"Look closer." His glare never left the bottom of the pit. Looking more carefully, Shirou immediately felt shivers go down his spine.

"Well at least we know where he gets his worms from. Tell Rin that we're definitely torching the place now. Let's get out of here." As he went to turn away, he just barely made out a flash of color at the corner of his eye. Whipping his head back down to the pit, he could make out a hand reaching out from the mass of worms, and attached to that hand was the horrified face of Shinji peeking through, worms crawling in and out of every hole visible, the sight made Shirou gag. Instead of following Archer up the steps, Shirou quickly descended downward until he was only inches from the male Matou. As much as he tried to reach out to Shinji, a swarm of worms were there to meet him, and he didn't want to find out what they would do if they touched him.

 **You're too weak, too inexperienced.**

' _Shut up.'_ Shirou produced Kanshou and went to slicing away at the worms around Shinji, but they soon overtook the weapon forcing Shirou to cast it into the pit.

 **Ask for a little bit, just enough to protect your arm. Otherwise that boy will die, or you will die trying to save him.**

Shirou ground his teeth together in frustration, nothing at his disposal was going to help him here. He wasn't even sure if Rin or Archer could help, if they even would. He was now shaking with anger, punching his fist into the stone floor until his knuckles were cut and swelling. He pushed his injured fist into the ground, hoping to bring enough pain to black out what he was going to do next.

"Alaya, please let me save this person." He whispered, he second the words left his lips he felt an intense heat burn through his right arm. Shirou didn't hesitate, grabbing onto Shinji and pulling with all of his strength, the worms that tried to cross over to his arm were immediately burned away from the glowing blue aura surrounding his arm.

 **The magecraft required to stave off those parasites has increased Alaya's Favor to 15%**

The redhead didn't pay the notice any mind, he was too preoccupied dragging Shiji along up the stairs. When it became clear that he was in no condition to walk, Shirou grabbed him and slung Shinji over his shoulder.

"Emiya…" Shinji groaned weakly.

The man in question didn't say anything, he wanted Shinji to conserve his energy. When Shirou finally made it up the steps, he was immediately halted in his tracks by what he saw. Not only was the front door closed, but it was blocked, by the Shadow. It stood there motionless, but what scared Shirou even more was the lit candle that it held in a tendril and the canisters of gas behind it. As soon as the candle touched the can, the room erupted in flames, and with the creature rotting everything that it came into contact with, the surrounding area lit up like a bonfire.

"Time to go." Shirou was up the stairs in a flash, with the Shadow and the flames hot on his trail. He stuck to jumping from the parallel walls in the hallway to give him more evasion room, plus the last time his foot touched the floor it went right through. He had never tried running with weighted gear on, so having to maneuver from wall to wall to avoid getting impaled, and not touching the floor for fear of it giving way and plunging him back into the basement was a big challenge with Shinji in tow. Eventually Shirou was able to hop onto a wall that was directly across from a door, using all the strength in his legs he slammed his body into it, forcing it open. The redhead was now gasping for breathe, the strain from pushing his legs like that was already taking it's toll. Once they were inside and Shirou was sure that Shinji was still breathing, he did the only thing he could do. In a study, with the only door out being blocked by the encroaching monster, Shirou flung himself and Shinji out of the window. Everything moved in slow motion at that point, Shirou could feel the glass slicing into his cheek and arms, as he fell he turned to look back a final time into the burning house and see if the fire had any effect on the Shadow. What he saw was a pair of golden eyes glaring back at him from the window, and a young woman with golden blonde hair.

 **Author's Note: Will be updating all the chapters later today with Shirou's stat progression from the beginning to now (See the end of Matter of Family for example). I'm going to try and be more consistent with that from now on. As always, I thank you guys for the support and critique.**

 **Shirou Emiya, Level 47**

 **Health: 40/100**

 **Magic: 25/100**

 **Strength: 29/100**

 **Endurance: 50/100**

 **Dexterity: 52/100**

 **Intelligence: 30/100**

 **Wisdom: 20/100**

 **Luck: 60/100**

 **Skills:**

 **Element: Sword/Sword**

 **Resistance: Magic (5%) Curse (5%)**

 **Unlimited Blade Works: Level 7 (Locked)**

 **Passive increase in Swordsmanship**

 **6% EXP increase in Sword skills progression**

 **10% EXP increase in Archery skills progression**

 **Charisma: C+**

 **Cooking: A+**

 **Cleaning: A+**

 **Zen: D-**

 **Alaya's Favor: 0%**

 **Kenjutsu: B (Fighting Styles Inculded)**

 **Reinforcement Magic: C+**

 **Weapon Tracing: B**

 **Time Alter: C**

 **Gun Fu: D**

 **Pankration: Level 4 (Instant Travel: 10%)**

 **Presence Concealment: D+**

 **Perks :**

 **Ironman**

 **Miraculous Healing**

 **Star Constellation: O' Heaven, Collapsing Star**

 **Mana Fortification**

 **Quick Fire Projection**


	16. Blackened Hearts

**I do not own any of the Fate series, the following is a non-profit fan-based parody. The Fate series is the property of Konoki Nasu, UFOTABLE, Type Moon, and Aniplex. Please support the official release.**

 **Hope you all had a Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Tuesday. As a side note, Saber Alter will be sporting the same concept armor from the Heaven's Feel route. I'm also going to try to be more thorough with the videogame details, felt like I half assed it up to this point.**

 **Blackened Hearts**

The soft illumination of the burning Matou estate could still be seen in the distance behind Shirou, but he didn't need to look back to know that. While he had wanted to sit back and enjoy the bonfire, maybe even roast some marshmallows, the combination of the Shadow's appearance and the incoming fire department persuaded the redhead to leave the scene of the crime. Rin and Archer were less surprised than he expected that he rejoined them by exit of an upper floor window, but they assumed he was just 'trying to look cool.' It had been a few minutes since they had split up, Rin had sagely decided that it best to make sure that no more ambushes happened tonight.

' _Archer knew the Shadow was there, I'd put money on it, Servants seem like they would have a sixth sense on those sort of…. Oh you have got to be kidding me.'_ Across the street on the adjacent sidewalk stood the Shadow and though the lack of eyes left it up to guesswork, Shirou was willing to bet that it was looking at him. The breeze of the night air blew across his face, the faint smell of ash and heat tickled his nose. Looking ever so slightly to his right, Shirou could see that his estate was within eyesight, though more than far enough to make running a option, besides he wasn't sure he wanted to bring the Shadow home with him.

' _I wonder….'_ Shirou concentrated hard on the sight of his rooftop, straining his eyes even and trying to will himself to that location.

 **Godspeed activation failed! -15% Mana penalty applied.**

Shirou grumbled multiple curses under his breath as he watched his mana creep just below half. He took stock of his situation, he had Shiji in tow, both of them had suffered some minor cuts from the jump out the window but had landed well enough that Shirou felt only a slight tingling in his legs now. He could fight, he had to be realistic about his chances of winning though.

"Umm hello?" The Shadow hadn't moved, not even an inch since Shirou noticed it. Hesitantly, Shirou took a step further down the road, he quickly regretted his decision. The malevolent being seemed to extend itself outward along the ground, almost like it was enlarging the shadow it cast. From the inky darkness on the sidewalk, a figure began to emerge, fully submerged in a viscous black muck from head to toe. Slowly the sludge receded down, revealing to be his former Saber Servant. This Saber was not his though, he could tell that clear as day. Her armor was more heavy, and her entire attire had been changed to match that of her new 'Master', even the holy sword Excalibur has seemed to take to the corruption with a new black finish. "May I ask your name, she who possesses the body of King Arthur?"

 **Saber Alter, Level 90**

Her cold yellow eyes lacked the vibrancy and emotion he had known, though he had to admit, she still looked just as beautiful as the day he met her. "What gives you the right to speak my name swine?" Her words cut through the air as fast and sharp as her sword. "Hand over the boy, and you may yet stay my blade."

' _So it is her.'_

Shirou didn't move from his spot, he didn't want to seem like he was running away or challenging them. "Why? So you can kill him, or put him in another pit? Shinji is kind of… ok, he's a complete rat, but King Arthur doesn't kill civilians, heroes do not kill civilians."

Saber chuckled, she sported a smirk even Archer would be proud of, "You remind me of a girl I knew, she was almost as pathetic as you are. It is a hero's duty to cut down those who show resistance to our will, now will you submit to mine or will you resist?" Her smirk turned into a scowl as Shirou's expression turned somber and his eyes flickered with embers of anger. "Did I offend you? Perhaps your death should be slower, so I may teach you the true ways of being a king since it seems you have been misinformed."

Shirou looked into her eyes, seeing all the malice and indifference held within. "When did you forsake yourself? Is it the work of your new 'Master'?" He clenched his fists, "...or have you always been a gutless coward?"

That did it, her eyes flared to life in rage and she was on top of Shirou in seconds. Shirou took note that while she did move slower than he remembered, she carried herself heavier too, which meant she was probably packing more power than he had seen before. ' _Time Alter-'_ He ducked under her first swing on pure survival instinct, but had lost the concentration on his time magic. Her next vertical slice threatened to cleave him in two, time seemed to slow, and he could make out every detail of her face as her bloodlust rolled off her in waves.

 **Low Luck rating detected, re-evaluating probabilities. Imminent danger incoming, Godspeed activating….**

Shirou had just enough time to get his eyes turned towards his hose before he felt the wind get knocked out of him. Everything around him became a funnel into a single point, and he felt his feet leave the ground and land clumsily on his roof. He was disoriented but he knew he had to get off the roof, so he threw Shinji and himself over the remaining distance. Shirou took the brunt of the force for Shinji's sake, so he decided to just lay there, he had to make sure they didn't see which way he went.

' _Man I hope I went as fast as it felt, that was the best feeling ever but...'_ He looked up at his blinking red mana bar, his health had also taken a hit from his landing. Shirou focused on his breathing, staying calm and alert was the plan now. He half dragged Shinji over to the tree in the courtyard, propping him up on it, Shirou took a seat next to him.

"We- we were on the street, how did we end up of the roof." Shinji's voice was a hoarse whisper.

Shirou chuckled at Shinji's bewilderment, "That's the least of your worries."

He could hear Shinji breathing, it was uneven and slightly raspy. "They say a coward dies a million times, if it's just twice for me I'd be ok."

"Well while we wait, I'll tell you how we got from from the street to the roof."

"You certainly have grown Emiya, please spare no details." It was then that Shirou told Shinji his story, of course omitting some things that may freak the Matou out, namely that his life is a video game. He attributed his exceptional new skills to a Noble Phantasm from his Servant that increased his parameters to their limits, a decent enough lie Shirou thought. He used the story to keep himself awake, it was to the point that he eventually just started telling the story back to himself, like a critical analysis of how he was doing up until now. The story went on for hours, and after it was over all that could be heard was the occasional nightly breeze in the silence.

"That was a great story."

Shirou chuckled, "I'm surprised you're still up."

A rough cough shook through the Matou, "Please I could stay up for hours." He never got a reply, all he could hear was Shirou's soft snoring beside him. "You never could pull an all nighter with me." Shinji said looking at the resting redhead, he decided not to wake him, best if at least one of them had some strength, it might as well be the person who could actually do something. After another hour though, even the Matou's eyes became heavy, eventually shutting as he joined Shirou in the land of nod.

"Shirou? Who is that?"

"Shinji….. Senpai…?"

"I'll be fine, check on him first."

Shirou blinked his eyes open, the sun tickled his face and the day felt fresh. He looked at Sakura and Illya, they stood over him with matching expressions of worry. "What are you doing out here, and why is Sakura's brother here?"

It was Shinji who spoke first, noticing that the redhead was still not at 100% mental capacity. "I can explain everything, if you'll let me miss…"

"Einzbern. Now what have you done to my onii-chan?" Shinji's eyes turned to saucers at mention of her name, his expression only grew comical when she mentioned her relation to Shirou. Sakura helped Shinji and Illya did the same for Shirou, they guided the two into the dining area where Sakura brought out a fresh pot of hot tea and some blankets. The two had been admittedly freezing their butts off out there, luckily they had suitable clothes on or else they may have caught their death.

"I should have accepted how things were," Shinji began as Sakura wrapped a blanket over his frail form, "when you first showed up Sakura, I'm sorry."

Shinji's sister placed a hand on his shoulder, "You know I love you."

"If you two are done, can we get back on track?" Illya looked at the two slightly annoyed with her arms.

"Illya." Shirou warned his sister, she looked to protest but Shirou's gaze stayed stern, which dissuaded her from talking back. Illya grumbled to herself, she was the heir to the Einzbern and she was not happy with being any lower than at the top of the totem pole, Shirou was sure she would make she he knew that later.

"F-Forgive me, I just figured I should say that to start off." He paused to allow a series of violent coughs to rattle his body, sending blood out of his mouth and into his hand. "My sins are egregious."

Illya nodded at him, "Take your time." Shirou saw the white haired girl spare him a quick glance, then back to Shinji's form. While Shirou had taken note that Shinji was surprisingly light while they were fleeing, he didn't realize how severe it was. To call the male Matou the human equivalent of a raisin would have been accurate, if not offensive and Shirou had never known Shinji to have gray streaks through his hair.

There was no more illustrious confidence, or cocky swagger as Shinji placed his bony hands over each other to stop from shaking. "When you left, Zouken said that if I was so adamant of my ability to lead the Matou house, then he'd put my words to the test." The blue haired Matou, who now sat as a muted grayish-blue husk, began to tremble as tears escaped his clenched eyes.

"D-Did he…." Sakura gulped, though Shinji knew where she was heading and immediately answered with a nod of his head.

Shirou stood from the table, gaining the attention of everyone present, "This seems personal, if there's anything important I should know just run it back by me if you would." He walked over to Shinji, they shared a glance at each other of mutual respect as Shirou laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Tell me, what exactly did Zouken have you doing?" He could hear Illya's asking as their voices began to fade into the distance and around corners. He listened to his feet stride across the wooden floor as he ventured to his room, his mind was immediately drawn back to the image of the worm pit, and the look Shinji and Sakura shared when Shinji brought it up. Shirou could tell right away that Sakura understood what Shinji had went through, maybe even better than he did, which meant…..

' _No more.'_ He hadn't realized until now but his nails were painfully digging into his palms. Shirou changed out of the clothes he had worn the other night and into his school uniform, a day in civilization was just what he needed to refresh his mind. ' _Maybe I'll even get a chance to clean some of the house, if I'm lucky all of it.'_ He even allowed himself to get a little giddy at the thought as he passed back by the dining area where the three were still sitting there talking.

"Do you want me to grab your schoolwork Sakura?"

The purple haired girl turned to him, "That's ok Senpai, I'll be late but I will be at school."

He gave her a nod, then Illya a hug before heading further down the hall to a spare bathroom. In there he took care of his usual daily hygienics, couldn't go out looking to bad, especially if Tohsaka was going to be at school. He exited the bathroom and made towards the exit as he thought of the numerous barbs the snarky Master might make at his unkempt appearance. Opening the front door, Shirou was greeted with the sight of Gilgamesh standing down the road, adorned with his traditional pompous grin and oppressing air of superiority. He willed his feet to move towards the Servant, if the King of Heroes decided to unleash his weapons, Shirou did not want them going near the house. Putting one foot in front of the other, he eventually walks until he stands a few feet in front of the Archer. Shirou says nothing, instead focusing on the massive mana that Gilgamesh was giving off and if it changed in any way to indicate an attack.

"Come with me mongrel."

Shirou follows him, ' _He's not in his armor, but if he knows I don't have Saber he probably thinks he doesn't need it. Then again he has unmatched hubris, he could just think the armor is beneath him.'_ Trying to figure out the motives of a man who believed he could do whatever he wanted proved a troubling endeavor. It was then that Shirou remembered that he was provided with a Servant Index early on in the war, and now was a perfect chance to use it. Shirou pulls up his game menu and subconsciously selects the **Servant Index** at the very bottom. Within, he could see that the Index already held information on Saber, Gilgamesh, Cu' Chulainn, Medea, Archer, and Hercules.

 **Gilgamesh: King of Heroes**

 **Strength: B Endurance: C Agility: C**

 **Mana: B Luck: A N.P.: EX**

 **Noble Phantasm: Gate of Babylon, ?**

 **Description: Places himself and his desire for all the treasures of the world above everything. In his eyes there are no other forces of his caliber, his authority is the only law including those of fellow kings and even gods. His visage is an honor and those that do not immediately recognize him are most likely seconds from his wrath and their death.**

"Tell me, what has happened of my wife?" Gilgamesh does not look back at Shirou, nor does he look at the people who gawk at his presence as he sauntered down the street.

"She aligns with the Shadow now."

The Archer shook his head and sighed, "That is why treasures belong in my possession. For my prize to be absconded by such filth is unacceptable." Shirou listened but felt that Gilgamesh was talking more to himself than to anyone, he also felt like the Servant probably did this a lot.

"She's not your prize." Shirou growled, he didn't give a damn if Gilgamesh impaled him, he wasn't about to dehumanize Saber into some kind of trophy.

"A plebian uttering defiance in my presence is insolence, I will not tolerate it." The Servant hissed back.

Shirou got the message, plus it was one thing to die for someone's life, but to do so for Saber who just tried to kill him last night, he felt he could let this battle of ideology slide for now until he knew his former Servants full prognosis. The two continued walking for a few more minutes before stopping in front of a restaurant which, from the front window, Shirou could see held one Kirei Kotomine inside.

"King of Heroes." The Servant in question had not stopped when they reached the restaurant and Shirou assumed he wouldn't have if he hadn't called out to him. "Since you're the first King, it's under your rule that humanity has evolved this much. Plus we're still living so you must see something in us, so thank you….. " The words felt bitter leaving his mouth but they seemed to have the desired effect.

Gilgamesh turned for the first time, glancing at Shirou for a quick second. "Maybe your not dumber than you look mongrel." After that the Servant continued on down the street and around the corner.

' _That should stop him from carpet bombing my house for a good…. 30 minutes, 35 tops.'_ Shirou took a seat across from the fake priest who hadn't stopped eating yet to acknowledge that the redhead had entered. He decided that he would order something while he waited, and by the time the waitress had retreated back to the kitchen, Kirei had turned his attention from his food to Shirou while he looked to where the waitress had left. ' _She seems familiar.'_

"You lost your Servant…" Shirou continued to look at the priest with little interest or expression, and after a few seconds of silence Kirei continued. "With the events that have transpired it would seem that Zouken has started to put his machinations into motion. Saber, Caster, Berserker, and Lancer have been eliminated by him and his _associates._ " The waitress returned with Shirou's food, she was a young woman with a fine figure, chestnut brown hair with matching eyes. She had a kind face and a gentle smile, which he saw every few seconds when she would sneak a peak at him.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" She asked, when Shirou shook his head he noticed she seemed slightly dejected as the waitress trudged back into the kitchen. He didn't think too much on it, chalking it up to amazing dedication to customer service.

' _Sheesh, I wonder if he's a eunuch, not a question I want answered while I'm eating though.'_ The fake priest hadn't even acknowledged the waitress, instead watching Shirou like a scientist watching a lab rat. Shirou reminded himself to stay mentally sharp as he tore into the mountain of beef, pork, and rice in front of him. ' _Not as good as my cooking but good enough.'_

"Is there any development with the Matou children, in fact how is Rin doing?" Kirei asked, Shirou swore that sorting sarcasm from serious was turning into a chore with these magi.

Shirou swallowed the food he was eating, "I haven't been in contact with the Matou's and Rin and I are in a ceasefire not a team, I don't keep track of what she does." He then went back to eating, not paying mind to the priest who looked like he was trying to look directly into Shirou's soul to find what he was looking for, whatever it is that that was. "You know you and I aren't that different Kirei."

An intrigued smirk appeared on the fake priest's face, "How is that?"

"So complex in its simplicity." Shirou stood up from the table, his plate cleaned off as Kotomine looked up at him puzzled. "Is there anything else you needed, I have to get to school, knowledge is power and all that." He didn't wait for Kiriei to respond, he knew the priest wouldn't keep him. Shirou left the restaurant and headed towards the school, he was glad he had left early, though now he wouldn't get to fix as much before classes started.

"Um excuse me?" A soft voice came from behind him. Shirou turned to see the young waitress from the restaurant was behind him.

' _I've been walking for 7 minutes, how long was she following me?'_ He thought. "Um, hi. Did I not leave enough money for my meal?"

The waitress's face flushed a bright red as she shook her head quickly. "Oh no, no, no. Heheh sorry I don't mean to be weird I just didn't know how exactly to say what I wanted, still kind of don't. Honestly this was a super spur of the moment thing, and I'm starting to ramble aren't I?" She chuckled nervously.

"Well….. What is it that you wanted to say?" Shirou asked, hoping that his calm demeanor would help her. On the inside he was as bad as she was, he wasn't prepared for this.

She walked up to him and grabbed his hands in hers, the gentle smile and sun catching on her eyes elicited a blush from the redhead. "I wanted to thank you, you're Shirou Emiya right? My name is Hatsumi Suji, you took me to the police station after I was attacked."

Shirou's blush deepened as a light came on in his head, "O-Oh well there's no need to thank me." He released himself from her grasp and turned to walk away, he got a couple feet before she was walking along with him.

"They said that I was _that close_ to dying, though it was strange that I had no bruises or cuts… " She looked at him, her brown eyes pleaded with him for a response.

"I couldn't tell you why." Shirou replied.

Hatsumi sighed, looking noticeably disappointed by his answer, though she wiped it away with another bright smile. "Nobody can give me answers, and you obviously know but won't tell me, maybe it's for the best that I don't know." She walked out in front of Shirou to stop him in his tracks, and before shirou could say anything he found himself wrapped in the warm embrace of the waitress. "When I woke up and they told me I had been attacked….. I feared the worst." She pulled back to look him in the eyes, "But I had someone looking over me, thank you." She pulled him in to plant a light kiss on his forehead, then released him as she headed back towards the restaurant, but not before turning back one more time. "Come around and see me sometime ok? Maybe we can find something that you can talk about." She waved to him one final goodbye before disappearing into an encroaching crowd of pedestrians.

 **You have unlocked Alignments. These classifications will impact how the world views you, you will also gain perks in accordance with your alignment if you stay to it. Your actions will increase your tiers as they pertain to the Alignment.**

 **Lawful - Neutral - Chaotic**

 **Good - Neutral - Evil**

 **You are currently aligned as [Lawful ● Good]**

 **Tier 1: Civilians will react positively to your presence**

 **Tier 2: (Current) 10% discount at all shops**

 **Tier 3: Locked**

 **Tier 4: Locked**

 **Tier 5: Locked**

' _Can I ask you something?'_ Shirou thought as he continued on his walk to school.

" **Of course."**

' _Why a videogame?'_

" **It works doesn't it? The effectiveness of a medium you're familiar with cannot be understated."**

' _Makes sense, so to what extent does the game go?'_ He asked back.

" **Keep your eyes open, you'll find the system implemented for you to be quite immersive."**

Shirou had never been too big into videogames, he never thought a 'hero of justice' was the kind of person to spend time playing them. He was familiar with platforming games, but he never delved into RPG's since they seemed the most time consuming, he did however watch Issei play them a ton so he still understood some concepts. His thoughts turned back to Hatsumi, he figured it best if he kept an eye on her, the last thing he needed was a civilian snooping around into the Grail War.

"How troublesome." He said to himself.

Somewhere in a nation far, far, away a man with pineapple shaped hair sneezed. "Someone must be talking about me, how troublesome." He then went back to his cloud watching, not paying anything else any attention.

Back with Shirou, he was now entering through the doors into his school. Walking down the hallway, it was at that moment that it dawned on him how much his senses had been enhanced since he first entered the war. He could determine the location of almost any student in the building through their voices, footsteps, or just old fashioned 50/50 vision buffed up to the max, the entire sensation became overwhelming.

' _Can't even hear myself think.'_ Shirou made a beeline for the boys bathroom, once inside he made to occupy an empty stall. He took deep, methodical breathes, making sure to key in on every breathe that entered and exited, he did this until everything else around him melted away into the background. After a few minutes of this, he stepped out of the stall now capable of hearing his feet against the white tiles under him again.

 **You have unspent skill points!**

' _I guess I can spare a second.'_ Shirou retreated back into the stall, no need for someone to walk in on him staring into space. He noticed that on top of the skills he could upgrade, there were additional perks that had been added.

 **Choose (2):**

 **Unlimited Blade Works Mana Fortification**

 **Time Alter Quick Fire Projection**

 **Pankration Seasoned Battle Technician**

 **Presence Concealment Lone Wolf**

 **Seasoned Battle Technician: All past and future battle experience will account towards your Wisdom (0.1 per minute of battle at Level 1)**

 **Lone Wolf: All stats are raised by 20 while you are alone. Stats will decrease by 20 when with another companion.**

Shirou considered the **Lone Wolf** perk since he didn't have a Servant and didn't really want to have Tohsaka fighting with him and potentially getting hurt, but decided against it when he thought about what she'd say if he tried to tell her not to do something, the idea made him shudder.

 **Seasoned Battle Technician selected!**

 **Quick Fire Projection selected!**

 **Quick Fire Projection has increased to Level 2! Speed and damage dealt by each projection in this attack increased to 5%**

 **Wisdom has increased by 24 points!**

He nearly choked on his own spit at the dramatic increase, it made him wonder if the game took sparring into account, and when the perk considered the battle begun and ended. It was also interesting that the skills he could upgrade or unlock seemed to be in a rotation, always switching out some of them with something new.

Being back in a classroom almost felt alien to Shirou, the calmness of the setting was in such stark contrast to the Grail War. Even with his extended leave from his studies he easily picked back up where they were at. In fact, he found everything slightly easier than he remembered, or at least, he didn't have the usual stress of schoolwork what with the ever present threat on the people of Fuyuki taking up most of his anxiety.

 **You have read a book on Economics, Intelligence increased by 1!**

' _I didn't even read the whole book! In that case…'_ Shirou waited until there was a point in the instruction that he could have some free time, at which point he went to task tearing through every book he had on him at the time.

 **You have read a book on Calculus, Intelligence increased by 2!**

 **You have read a book on Biology, Intelligence increased by 1!**

This continued on a few more times, though Shirou came to find that some books have him nothing. He figured that since Calculus netted him 2 and _The Tale of Genji_ got him nothing, educational texts were the way to go.

' _I'm definitely going to be paying a visit to the library, maybe all the libraries!'_

After class, Shirou walked through the campus looking for Issei, and after asking a couple of students he found out that his friend was still in the hospital.

 **Side Quest Unlocked: Check up on Issei**

The area around Shirou grew almost deathly quiet, a sign that he could attribute to one thing. Turning around, sure enough there was Rin walking towards him, the usual visage of a prim and proper honor student. He wondered what everyone would think if they knew she was shrewd and bossy under that cool mask she sported so well. As she passed by him, they didn't exchange words as he followed in line by her as she led them to god knows where.

"What makes you think I wanted to talk to you? Students can walk around the campus can't they?" Rin asked, looking at him through the corner of her eye.

Shirou shrugged his shoulders, "Not sure, but you have a habit of not being around unless you need me for something."

"Do you feel like you're being used?"

"I'm happy to help however I can, if anything happened to you…" He shook his head, he didn't want to think on such things.

A smirk appeared on Rin's face, "I haven't taken a scratch yet, unlike you." She grabbed his arm, "As property of Rin Tohsaka I would me remiss if I let an asset like you be used inefficiently."

Shirou smiled, at Rin and at the looks people made when she grabbed him, "Now I feel used." Eventually their stroll led them to the roof of the school, their usual meeting spot at this time of day. "Can I ask you something?"

"You just did, but yes."

"How do you feel about Sakura being a Matou?" He asked.

Rin considered his question for a few seconds. "She seemed happy enough. I never really kept tabs on her since she isn't my sister except by blood."

Her answer bewildered Shirou, though he knew that magi didn't hold true the same principles on family as the non-magi populace. He also remembered what she had said the night she had saved him after Lancer had stabbed him, and how Sakura's happiness was what made Rin act. "With everything that is going on, and since we did burn down her house, maybe you should reach out to her?"

"Don't speak on things that aren't your business, there is a predetermined agreement set forth by two consenting-"

"Did you and her consent? I love Sakura but there are some holes that I just can't fill, I think it would do you some good too. I won't say anything else on it." Shirou added, he didn't want to argue with the Tohsaka heiress, but he refused to conform to some of the magi worlds more twisted idiosyncrasies. Rules be damned, family was family. "I saw Saber last night."

This tidbit of news predictably peaked Rin's interest, "What? I've never heard of someone getting there Servant back…"

Shirou shook his head, "I didn't get her back, I believe the Shadow can assimilate Servants that it has taken down, then roll them out as foot soldiers at it's leisure."

Rin sat down, rubbing her temples. "So it has Saber, probably Berserker…"

"Caster and Lancer are dead too, Kotomine told me that Zouken took them out so take that as you may." Shirou added.

Rin got back up and started banging her head against the wall, "Two, maybe four?! Well we have you, me, Archer, the Einzbern and Matou along with his Servant, so we still have a chance. Shirou, I'm going to need to talk to Illya."

Rin didn't offer to much into what she was planning, and Shirou didn't want to ruin her mental flow so he didn't bother nagging her about it. They spent the rest of their time together watching the civilians moving about their day without any knowledge of what was happening. Sitting on that rooftop with Rin, to Shirou it felt like they were alone on a mountain top with the lions closing in, but he believed that if there was anybody who could beat the odds it was them, it had to be. After their time was up they went their separate ways, promising to meet up later tonight with Illya to discuss their next move. Shirou was now walking down the sidewalk, school had ended but he didn't want to go see Issei just yet. Making his way to Ryuudou Temple, he looked at the place he had come to know so well as a deathtrap. He thought about Archer's fight with Caster, the female Servant probably dying here with Mr. Kuzuki, and the night he let Saber down. None of those were the reason for him being there though, no he had something else that needed to be addressed.

"Hey dad." It had been so long, but with everything that's transpired over the past couple of weeks, his grudge against Kiritsugu turned to guilt. "Been awhile, I guess I inherited your vindictiveness."

 **Side Quest: Thicker Than Water still available. Would you like to retry?**

' _Let me show you how far I've come.'_ He pressed **Yes.**

 **Thicker Than Water**

 **Goal: Defeat Kiritsugu Emiya**

Shirou expected to be transported back into the Dreamspace, not to remain in the graveyard behind the temple. A barrier formed around the area, he assumed it was to keep everything contained into a manageable area for the game to influence. Shirou watched as the corporeal form of his father rose from the ground before taking physical form, the same cold, expressionless look on his face from when they had last met. Shirou, remembering that Kiritsugu shot him the second the fight started, was ready before the elder Emiya even drew his Calico.

 **Quick-Fire Projection activated**

Shirou was already throwing by the time Kiritsugu pulled the trigger, he wasn't ready for just how fast he started slinging the copies of Kanshou and Bakuya. His mind processed everything and gave him the impression that his body shouldn't be able to work this fast. Every bullet that left the fully automatic weapon of the Mage Killer was met with either Kanshou or Bakuya, the interaction between the two produced brilliants sparks of white and blue as the rapid, almost instantaneous sound of metal meeting metal filled the graveyard. Headstones became scratched by the ricochet of metal, even Shirou got grazed by a bullet that he hadn't hit cleanly enough. At first the swords he produced were only strong enough to stop the bullets of the Calico, but as Shirou became more used to the motion, and the effect of his ability really started to get working, he could tell the tide of the struggle was turning in his favor. The swords started to reach there target, even as they pierced his flesh and tore through his body, Kiritsugu still reloaded and tried to return fire. Shirou admired his father's resilience, truly was he worthy of being the winner of the Fourth Grail War, but it was time to end this. Two swords to his left leg brought him to his knees, another two to stop him from raising his gun, and a final one in between the eyes as Kiritsugu looked up at him one last time. Shirou watched as his father's form turned to dust, but he swore he saw Kiritsugu's eyes shine with a sense of pride as he left he world of the living once again.

 **Side Quest Completed!**

 **Rewards: Calico, Contender, Mage Killer title, XP, Kiritsugu Emiya's memories**

 **Shirou Emiya [Lawful ● Good], Level 47**

 **Health: 40/100**

 **Magic: 25/100**

 **Strength: 29/100**

 **Endurance: 50/100**

 **Dexterity: 52/100**

 **Intelligence: 36/100**

 **Wisdom: 44/100**

 **Luck: 60/100**

 **Skills:**

 **Element: Sword/Sword**

 **Resistance: Magic (5%) Curse (5%)**

 **Unlimited Blade Works: Level 7 (Locked)**

 **Passive increase in Swordsmanship**

 **6% EXP increase in Sword skills progression**

 **10% EXP increase in Archery skills progression**

 **Charisma: C+**

 **Cooking: A+**

 **Cleaning: A+**

 **Zen: D-**

 **Alaya's Favor: 15%**

 **Kenjutsu: B (Fighting Styles Included)**

 **Reinforcement Magic: C+**

 **Weapon Tracing: B**

 **Time Alter: C**

 **Gun Fu: D**

 **Pankration: Level 4 (Instant Travel: 10%)**

 **Presence Concealment: D+**

 **Perks:**

 **Ironman**

 **Seasoned Battle Technician**

 **Star Constellation: O' Heaven, Collapsing Star**

 **Mana Fortification**

 **Quick Fire Projection Lv. 2**


	17. Bedside Manners

**I do not own any of the Fate series, the following is a non-profit fan-based parody. The Fate series is the property of Konoki Nasu, UFOTABLE, Type Moon, and Aniplex. Please support the official release.**

 **Bedside Manners**

The sound of Shirou's heart beating in his ears blocked out any other sound besides his own heavy breathing, sweat dripped from the bridge of his nose. He watched the words appear then vanish, and as they did a flash blinded him, darkness did the same subsequently. White speckles floated across the black canvas, and though Shirou could not reach out to grab some he knew that it was snow. From the darkness came a crunching sound that was snow underfoot, and with it snow covered trees in the background. Ahead of him was a forest, one that instilled a strong sense of deja vu, his attention was then drawn to a voice from an unknown location.

"If I never cheated then I wouldn't stand a chance against you." The voice said, Shirou couldn't even move his head to locate it, but he knew it was close. It wasn't until his sight turned to a little girl standing by him did Shirou fully understand where he was, and who.

' _This is Kiritsugu's memory.'_

"Very well, then I'll challenge you again. A champion accepts all challengers." She said, sticking her chest out with pride befitting an heiress.

' _Illya… she looks so small, how long ago was this?'_ He dated this to have to be at least 10 years ago if Kiritsugu was talking to Illya. ' _This must be before the end of the Fourth War.'_ This was the happiest he had ever seen her before in his short time knowing her.

"Indeed I am honored." Kiritsugu bowed slowly, then suddenly lunging out to snatch up the young Einzbern up onto his shoulders, "Your Highness!"

"I'm so high up!"

His vision began to swim, like a puddle thrown into a lake everything around him became distorted and stretched. The images continued to stretch into nothingness, and from the void return the reality that Shirou was familiar with. He was back in his body, and with 2 new weapons in his arsenal if the current notification was to be believed. He'd also gained a new title, and while Shirou acknowledged the advantages the perks of said title would bestow on him, he rejected it anyway. Deep down, he just felt like a title wasn't something he was interested in, regardless of if nobody else could perceive it.

' _It's the principle of the thing, I don't want to be labeled as something I haven't earned, and do I even want to earn it? No. Hero of justice and Mage Killer should not be represented by the same person, it isn't right.'_ He dispelled the notification from his vision to have another immediately take its place.

 **Interact with people Kiritsugu encountered to acquire more memory fragments.**

A vein bulged from Shirou's forehead, he had thought that he would be getting in the entirety of his father's memory. The fact that the game waited until now to tell him it would be piecemealed irritated him to his soul, but he nonetheless switched over to the **Quest** section of his game menu. There in this section it provided no more information, just the direction already provided to him. One other thing caught his eye though, in this section a new tab had opened up, **Failed.**

 **Unbroken Bond: Win the Holy Grail War with Saber. FAILED**

 **For the King: Fulfill Saber's wish. FAILED**

 **Independent: Do Not Use Alaya's Favor. FAILED**

 **Tree Hugger: Maintain a positive alignment with Gaia. FAILED**

 **A Promise Is A Promise: Ensure Caster and Mr. Kuzuki live through the war. FAILED**

 **Temple Master: Defeat Zouken and Assassin at Ryuudou Temple. FAILED**

 **Dynamic Duo: Eliminate at least one Servant with Saber. FAILED**

 **Perfectionist: Complete all missions. FAILED**

' _That…. isn't good. I'm making good progress by my estimation, but to know that I could have done things differently… no. That's life, we make mistakes and learn, I don't need you to tell me that I messed up, or that I can do better.'_ He rationalized himself well, but the now apparent mounting failures did still hang heavy on his heart.

 **You have unlocked Time Alter Triple Accel/Stagnate**

This was rather late timing for the notification, Shirou still felt appreciative to be granted a trademark skill of his father's, even if it was completely useless at the moment. He hadn't used his time magic all to frequently, the speed of attacks that the enemy Servant's possessed made him wary of how effective it would be. Last thing he wanted was to use the magic and find that he was still slower than them. He took a few more moments to sit at Kiritsugu's grave, to not visit for so long just to kill the guy reincarnated wasn't how Shirou wanted to leave things. After a few more precious moments, and with his current task done and the day still young, he sought out to visit Issei, another person he had pushed back seeing far longer than his preference.

The city of Fuyuki was abuzz with activity, even more now than usual, to which Shirou attributed multiple factors to. They could be out because of the severe fluctuation in weather lately: rain, then snow, even now the sun was shining with substantial heat, and he could have sworn he heard about an ice storm on the way. One with a more active imagination might even say it was the signal of the end of everything, which Shirou found fitting considering the possibility. With such rapid fluctuations, people could be found scrambling around to to procure all manner of material, whether it be food, clothing, blankets, or even protection. Shirou figured it wouldn't take long for the activities of the Shadow to gain traction within public news circles, and his prediction came true more than he imagined. Officially they were calling it a rash of kidnappings, since no one has even laid on eyes on the Shadow outside of the Grail War participants, laid eyes on it and lived at least. He should have seen this coming, the Shadow preferred Servants as a food source, but with the scarcity of them growing larger the longer the War went on, so to did the number of missing case reports. New missing posters appeared by the day, and with paranoid whispers on who the suspect might be abound, Shirou felt a weight of guilt over him that grew with each new victim. He look at a poster, it was a young man named Yatsu Wui, age 13, he was taking the family dog out to use the bathroom when he went "missing."

"I'll avenge you, all of you, forgive me but I just need a little more time." Shirou whispered as he watched parents hurriedly shepherd their kids in and out of stores, unwilling to stop to even acknowledge anyone they might know. They had explained in class how there was going to be a curfew implemented tonight, an annoyance of an obstacle in his way, but at least it would take some of the work out of protecting citizens. As much as he hated to admit it, even protecting his own city was proving a monumental task that was stretching him thin, not to mention his ongoing involvement in the Grail War. That brung him to his next concern, the women participants, more particularly their moral standing. He knew for a fact that Illya cared only for what she deemed important, of which he felt she thought the people of Fuyuki were not. Rin on the other hand, who he guessed technically presided over Fuyuki, never expressed much concern over its inhabitants, hell he'd seen her more worried over her schoolwork. Still making his way over to the hospital, Shirou's thoughts of Rin eventually transitioned over to Sakura as the point of focus, more specifically the role she played in the war.

' _Why would Shinji need a book to command his Servant? I need to ask Rin and Illya what they know about it. The question is if Shinji ran out of Command Seals, or if he never had them to begin with.'_ With Rin's admission of her relation to Sakura, his purple haired friend would probably have the necessary mana to facilitate Shini and Rider's partnership if she had enough potential as a magus to get sent to another family. Shirou sighed, thinking this way gave him a headache, even if he knew it was necessary to cover all his bases. Even with his curiosities, he refused to act in any way hostile until Sakura made a move against him, he felt she deserved that, if not more.

The Fuyuki General Hospital was surprisingly empty for it being a hospital. Shirou wondered if everyone being on high alert made them hyper aware of potential injuries and hazards, funny that all it takes is a homicidal magical presence to get people to live sensibly.

"Excuse me miss?" He addressed the blonde middle aged woman sitting behind the desk in front of him, most assuredly the receptionist. Her features were noticeably tired and her eyes looked almost dead, but she wore a decent amount of makeup that made her look a good deal younger than she probably was.

The woman looked up at Shirou, then back down, then up again, the shameless undressing she did with her eyes went unnoticed by the ever oblivious redhead. Alas, he merely smiled at her, which she returned slyly. "Yes young man, can I help you with something?"

"I'm trying to find Issei Ryuudou's room." The receptionist appeared momentarily crestfallen at his request, shaking her head.

"Here I thought you were one of the new security guards, mmmm shame. Well if you follow that hallway, it will lead you to room 14A that's the one you're looking for." She pointed down the hallway to his right.

He nodded appreciatively, walking away before stopping mid stride, turning back to say something else. "Umm, if you don't mind me asking, why are you guys hiring security? This place is empty, and there are already guards at the entrance." The woman looked reluctant to talk, but Shirou put on the most reassuring smile he could muster, effectively melting away her resistance.

The receptionist looked side to side, emulating the need to ensure they had privacy before beckoning Shirou closer. "It's for the patients, you know the disappearances that have been happening around town? Well it isn't new, every year around this time, orphaned children under the hospital's care go missing. It doesn't get much media coverage because no one notices or cares they're gone excpet the staff, who are replaced regularly or threatened to keep quiet."

The look on her face matched Shirou's, disgust and heartbreak. "How long has this been going on?"

"I'd say about 10 years, it's amazing that they've kept it under wraps for so long. The only reason I know is because the receptionists that have passed through here hand down information as they leave, hoping one of us will get something concrete to bring this place down. Unfortunately, these bastards are very good at wiping their feet, 10 years, 20 receptionists and we still have nothing."

Shirou smiled at her, "Thank you, for everything. The world needs people like you, good people." Heading off towards Issei's room, he noticed the pop-up notification but he figured it was a quest pertaining to something that he was already going to look into, so he ignored it. He halted in his tracks when he arrived at the door to his friend's room. "Issei? Are you decent?" Shirou opened the door to see Issei sitting up in his bed, though he couldn't tell what he was doing before he had entered.

' _Was he just sitting there? Weird.'_

"Shirou Emiya, I'm pleased that you'd come to check up on me like this." The lack of eye contact was disconcerting to Shirou.

"You don't seem pleased. If I came at a wrong time I can always-"

Issei snapped back before he could turn to leave. "No! With everyone staying inside more, you're the first real visit I've had in awhile."

"I heard Tohsaka came by and paid you a visit." Shirou asked with a sly smirk, raising a single eyebrow that elicited a blush from Issei.

His friend seemed intently focused on a billboard outside his window. "More like an interrogation, she arrived the day after I did so I don't remember much, side effect of the medication. Though I can assure you that her bedside manner would make her a horrible nurse."

"That sounds about right," Shirou chuckled, "anyways how are you feeling?"

His friend seemed to move and talk well enough with no signs of pain. "I'm doing quite well actually, though I can't muster the energy to leave my bed for more than a few minutes, it has everyone baffled."

"Maybe we'll see an illustration of you in next year's anatomy books, Issei Ryuudou, Patient Zero."

"Oh haha, I'm telling you it's not as fun as laying in your own bed sick. Uuaahhh I can't even stop yawning, and I sleep through most of the day, consider yourself lucky to catch me awake. Personally I'd rather not accrue medical fees for just extended rest." Issei then broke out into a fit of yawns, each one shockingly seemed to sap some of his stamina until he had slid completely under his covers in exhaustion. "If I'm still in here two days from now, bring a pot of coffee and lots of dango, I'll leave bouncing off the walls….. if…...I ….have… toooo….." His sentence was punctuated by his own snoring as fell straight to sleep. Shirou almost envied the class president, it had been more than a week since he'd slept that soundly, or even known the feeling of peace. Shirou made to leave, but not before taking a single cursory glance at the billboard that Issei was looking at.

"Mitarashi dango with green tea, just how you like it. We'll have to get some when this is all over." He said before leaving.

"Onii-chan!" Illya came running around the corner before Shirou had even crossed through the doorway. Her smile quickly vanished into a look of curiosity as her adopted brother looked past her, the wall, and possibly the next 1000 yards, her onii-chan clearly had something on his mind. His semiconscious ambling led him to his room with Illya close behind him, still as much worried now as she was a second ago.

"Huh? Umm Illya, do you mind if I get some rest?" He never even turned around to look at her, still transfixed on some imperceptible concept. The Einzbern reluctantly conceded the room to him, but with her information for the meeting ready and the house spotless, what was there for her to do?

"Illya, I heard the door, is Sempai home?" Illya spun on her heels, and there was Sakura, somehow nerely 3 feet away from her yet the former never once sensed her presence. Illya marked it up to being lost in her own thoughts, of which she now had a new one, one much more mischievous and entertaining.

Shirou did not leave hi9s room until a few hours later when Rin arrived at the door, Illya was the one to greet her in as Sakura was…. indisposed at the moment after Illya put her plan into motion.

"Welcome in Tohsaka." Her tone was well more mature than her appearance.

Rin crossed over the threshold. "Hello Einzbern, you seem to be in good health."

"Why do you not seem pleased by that?" Illya asked curiously.

Rin crossed her arms and closed her arms, "You never formally withdrew from the Grail War, which you could possibly take a Servant from a dead Master."

Illya smirked and gave Rin a knowing look. "I get it, you must be itching for it at this point, that first win."

Rin snapped her eyes open, her entire face the color of a ripe tomato. "What would you know about winning, last time I checked that Shadow whooped Berserker."

"If you guys hadn't butted in, Berserker and I would have wiped the floor with that Servants for what he did to Sella and Leys." Illya replied nonchalantly, secretly balling up her fists.

"Mmm I highly doubt that."

"I was capable of supplying Berserker with unlimited mana and control him enough to strategize as we learned the enemies powers, Heracles was our champion for a reason."

"I wouldn't say that too loud, I wouldn't be surprised if Gilgamesh could hear insults through walls." Shirou joked as he walked up to greet the two women.

"Gilgamesh? King of Heroes, Gate of Babylon….that Gilgamesh?" Illya asked.

Shirou nodded, "The very same, Servant to Kotomine if I'm correct."

Illya rubbed her temples in frustration, "Ugh I was hoping he'd be an easier opponent." She motioned for the three of them to enter the dining room where their meeting would take place. "You fought him onii-chan, what would you gauge his current threat level as?"

"If Kotomine is on his good side, very high. If not….we should be good until some kid annoys him. I'd say we can put them on the backburner, or maybe even use them to our benefit. This is only a hunch right now though and I don't want you guys worrying about it until I have something concrete."

"So," Rin clapped her hands together, they were now all seated around the table, "I'd like to start first with a simple question. How are you progressing so fast in magecraft Emiya? At first I chalked it up to Saber's training yet you still improve even after she's gone."

' _Surprised it took her so long to ask.'_ So Shirou explained his situation to Rin, only omitting the usual details regarding his life being a videogame.

After everything was said, Rin looked into space for moment, thinking about what she was told. She shrugged her shoulders, "Fine if you don't want to tell me, keep your secrets, you're still a valuable asset."

Shirou felt a vein pop in his forehead, he made to retort but was interrupted by Illya clearing her throat. "Well if that is handled, let's continue on to our Matou situation. Shinji are currently indisposed, those worms really did a number on him. He says that Zouken is his grandfather, and that he was given the book as a gift given his lack of magic circuits."

"So he doesn't know that Zouken has been around for centuries." Shirou said absentmindedly.

"I'm sorry did you say centuries?" Rin asked incredulously.

"Right? The guy doesn't look a day over 87, but it seems that his prolonged immortality is rotting his soul from the inside. I think he's using the worms as a placeholder since no organic body can survive that long." Shirou added.

"Well let's take a look here." Illya reached under the table, Shirou saw Rin tense up slightly. The Einzbern produced a large scroll, unfurling it over the table revealed a chart with names scattered across. To the left he saw his group, in the middle was Zouken and his group, and to the right was everyone else. "So Gilgamesh and Kotomine…" She wrote down Gilgamesh's name and connected it to Kirie's. "...and Zouken is using worms so there's no guarantee that we've actually met his true form." She placed a question mark next to Zouken's name.

"How do we kill him?" Rin asked. "That's what really matters right? We need a weapon that can either destroy his soul or send him entirely to oblivion."

"Hmmmm…" Illya placed her hand on her cheek, racking her brain for something.

Shirou spoke up when he noticed the opportunity, "I actually have a favor to ask of you guys, and I'd rather do this tonight." The two magi looked at him curiously.

He was glad that there was still some good weather to be had, and even more glad that the route to the hospital was a lightly patrolled one. The 3 now stood in front of the hospital, the structure seemed larger at night, and far more intimidating with the sparsely lit parking lot offering only a little illumination.

"Shirou why are we here?" Illya asked, as a homunculus she always avoided hospitals. Sickness was not something she knew of, and considered it the by product of a fault in the design of living creatures.

"On the right side of this building is Issei's room, now from inside that room he had a nice view of the city and there was a billboard."

Rin looked at him, then to the side of the building, her face scrunched up in confusion. "His room is on the first floor?"

"Yeah, see the problem." Looking around while he walked towards the entrance, Shirou wondered why not even a single room had their lights on.

' _Is it possible that the hospital is upholding the curfew as well with a lights out time?'_

"Hey miss, I'm back, anything new happen since I left?" Shirou called to the woman at the receptionist desk. "Miss?" The woman did not even acknowledge them, even as Shirou waved his hand in front of her face, even yelling in her ear.

"Emiya hold up." Rin grabbed a pen from the desk, bringing up to the lips of the receptionist. "Her makeup was done well, but there is a slight discoloration to the lips that the lipstick missed." Opening her mouth with the pen, a rancid smell arose from the back of her throat, it was enough to make Shirou gag. "She's been dead for awhile."

"I just talked to her this morning though." He reached forward and wiped away some of her makeup, revealing her skin tone to be more towards grey and black than anything else. "How is that possible?"

"Onii-chan, I'm not familiar with hospitals, but aren't there supposed to be workers?" Illya asked looking around the empty reception area.

"Yeah…" He responded.

' _This isn't right, we shouldn't be here without more information and preparation. Is this a Servant we've met, another new Servant, a Master? Too many questions, not enough answers.'_ Shirou took a step back, then another, he began to signal for Rin and Illya to retreat when he heard the soft whimpers of someone in pain. He nearly sprung into action, but stopped at the beginning of the hallway to his left where he heard the cries. ' _It could be a trap, I wouldn't put it past anyone to use something as effective as a hostage or even a fake.'_ At the midway point of the hallway was a small puddle of blood with droplets trailing further down the hall to a small figure limping into the stairwell.

"Hey wait!" He ran down the hallway after the person until some of the blood on the ground caught his attention. Looking closer he noticed that it was dark, very dark, one could almost say black. He bent down to touch a little but immediately snatched his hand back when he saw the fluid move, or at least it looked like it had, it was honestly so small that it could've been his imagination. As Shirou stood back up, he heard the incoming footsteps of Illya and Rin and he was so focused on that sound that he didn't hear the floor giving way underneath him. The hallway gave way to the darkness underneath, Shirou instinctively reinforced his legs like he had seen Rin do at the school, the result allowed him to land without even feeling his landing.

"Shirou stay there, we're coming down." He heard Illya say, he could only make out the black outline of their figures looking down at him.

"No, stay where you are!"

"Now is not the time to-"

He interjected, "Please listen to me. If the staff are dead that means no one is protecting the patients. Our first priority should be saving any civilians that are still alive. If I don't regroup with you by the time you're down then send Archer down to look for me."

He saw the two look at each other, "Why Archer?"

"I care less if he gets caught."

"Makes sense." He heard Rin say. "Alright Emiya but it better not come to that. You've got 15 minutes and not a second longer."

"Sounds like a plan, Issei's room is 14A, make sure he's safe for me please."

With that their figures disappeared leaving only the single pillar of light among the pitch black area he was now in. ' _Who ever is here used the stairwell, and it looks like this is an actual room, so there has to be a door around here that leads back up.'_ During this thought he heard something, a shrill wail cutting through the darkness that surrounded him.

"SSKKKRRREEEEEEEE!"

"Jeez."

"Hey Tohsaka, who is Issei?" Illy asked as they returned to the reception area.

"A classmate of ours, and a friend of Emiya's. He was admitted here, collateral damage from when Caster and her Master were killed."

"I see….. T-Tohsaka, where is-"

"SHE'S GONE!?" The two looked at the desk, the receptionist was nowhere to be found. "Either someone moved her or…" She gulped.

"Onii-chan did say she was talking this morning."

"Let's hurry up and get to Issei's room." Illya nodded in agreement, crossing over to the hallway parallel to where Shirou was with Rin. They were surprised to find the hallway crowded to absurd levels, the staff, the patients, they were all packed into the hall shoulder to shoulder. They were silently shuffling amongst each other until the two magi appeared, one by one turning to acknowledge them. A black substance leaked from their mouths, which began flowing like a faucet as they let out a collective growl mixed in with the gurgling of the black fluid, it almost sounded like a group of angry people were all gargling mouthwash in synch with each other.

"SSKKKRRREEEEEEE!"

A shriek came from below them, it seemed to act as a sort of dinner bell as they hallway sprung to life with a stampede of people trampling over each other to get to the two.

 **Shirou Emiya [Lawful ● Good], Level 47**

 **Health: 40/100**

 **Magic: 25/100**

 **Strength: 29/100**

 **Endurance: 50/100**

 **Dexterity: 52/100**

 **Intelligence: 36/100**

 **Wisdom: 44/100**

 **Luck: 60/100**

 **Skills:**

 **Element: Sword/Sword**

 **Resistance: Magic (5%) Curse (5%)**

 **Unlimited Blade Works: Level 7 (Locked)**

 **Passive increase in Swordsmanship**

 **6% EXP increase in Sword skills progression**

 **10% EXP increase in Archery skills progression**

 **Charisma: C+**

 **Cooking: A+**

 **Cleaning: A+**

 **Zen: D-**

 **Alaya's Favor: 15%**

 **Kenjutsu: B (Fighting Styles Included)**

 **Reinforcement Magic: C+**

 **Weapon Tracing: B**

 **Time Alter: B**

 **Gun Fu: D**

 **Pankration: Level 4 (Instant Travel: 10%)**

 **Presence Concealment: D+**

 **Perks:**

 **Ironman**

 **Seasoned Battle Technician**

 **Star Constellation: O' Heaven, Collapsing Star**

 **Mana Fortification**

 **Quick Fire Projection Lv. 2**

 **Sorry this took so long and for the lack of action, though as you can tell the next one will have more than enough. Hope you like this chapter!**

 **Reviews:**

 **Aesir19- A lot of people have concerns on how I have the Shirou/Alaya dynamic heading, all I can say is that everything is as designed, even the stuff you don't like. If it isn't a plot problem or grammar error, it has a purpose.**

 **SinForged- Thanks, not sure what I'm doing with her yet honestly, but she will do something of importance.**

 **Stevegaming87- Hadn't looked into that yet, will do it now. Thanks for letting me know.**

 **Ariadne Venegas- Oh I've been waiting to write that Saber Alter fight, the idea's I have…**

 **Eragon1928374655- Too many O's. Just…. way too many**


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